


Boys Need Love

by Aneth_Stripes



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, Blackmail, Blood and Violence, Boys In Love, Dark, Exhibitionism, Explicit Sexual Content, Female Protagonist, Fist Fights, Fivesome, Fluff and Angst, Forced Orgasm, Forced Relationship, Foursome, Harems, Hate Sex, Hate to Love, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love/Hate, Master/Pet, Multi, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Oral Sex, Original Fiction, Ownership, Polyamory, Rape/Non-con Elements, Reverse Harem, Romance, Safewords, Second Chances, Secret Relationship, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Sex Toys, Sexual Fantasy, Sexual Slavery, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Romance, There is plot I swear, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Threats of Violence, Threesome, Vaginal Fingering, Violence, Violent Sex, What Have I Done
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:20:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 59,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28510311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aneth_Stripes/pseuds/Aneth_Stripes
Summary: "What a good Puppy."He could at least give her a charming nickname!All Ellie wanted to do was focus on her friends and survive college life, but who knew that it entailed dealing with asshole men-children! What in the world was she to do with emotionally-stunted men who didn't even know what love was? What could she possibly do when she didn't know a damned thing about romance?-Rated M for hush-hush, sexual tension, slow burn, and the violent split-second decisions made by the female protagonist.
Relationships: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. Making Friends

“That’s a good puppy.”

That fucking nickname. I hated it. I tried not to scowl, bobbing my head back and forth as I gripped his thighs harshly. My throat felt full, almost too full, but I couldn’t pull away from him. The tip of his cock kept hitting the back of my throat as he continued to move his hips.

I wanted to hate the smell coming off him, but I was so used to it now; the way he pulsed around me, the short huffs he gave as he got close, and the precum that dribbled into my mouth. I closed my eyes, bobbing my head faster and pretending that I just wanted to get it over with when really, I wanted him to fill my mouth-pussy until I couldn’t think.

My thighs tensed up as he slammed every inch inside my mouth, shuddering and gripping my curly brown hair as he poured his seed into me, drowning me in it. My throat gulped as much as it could between broken whimpers; my pussy couldn’t have been wetter at that moment. He didn’t pull out until he was sure I was finished swallowing, slapping his dick on my face. “Clean it,” he demanded.

Maybe it was just from how trained I was or how depraved I’d become, but I was eager to nod and lick him clean from base to tip. He never took his eyes off me, smirking in satisfaction before resting his sac on my face. “Who’s a good girl?”

“I-I am,” I muttered, inhaling the smell of his balls.

“Yes, you are.” He put his package away and zipped up, glancing at me expectedly. I awkwardly stood up, staring at the floor as I kept my arms by my side. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing the neediness in my eyes, knowing that I enjoyed it, that I wanted more. He gripped my chin harshly, forcing me to look up at him. “I fed you, didn’t I? What do we say to the masters who feed us?”

“T-Thank you, Sir,” I muttered, shuddering as he let go of my chin, caressing my shoulder and neck. “Um…c-can I go now please?”

The look he was giving me; I could tell he was considering my plea. Did he want to do more to me? Did I want him to? My heart was thumping wildly as I gulped nervously. I hated how badly he was changing me into a needy whore.  _ ‘Please let me go.’ _

Regardless if he could read minds or not, he nodded and shrugged. “I don’t need you anymore. Leave.”

Well, that fucking hurt. I kept my face monotone as I turned and opened his dorm door. What I really wanted to do was punch him in the face, but I knew better. He was a kickboxer and would easily overpower me the moment I tried something stupid. I was quick to leave his dorm room, rushing to mine that was unfortunately way too close for my liking.

I got back to my dorm room and rushed to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth once, twice, three times, hoping to get rid of his stench on me. Even then, through the minty freshness, I could still smell his fat, stupid cock. I sighed and sat at the edge of the bathtub, resting my head on my hands. My pussy was still pulsating. I wanted him, but I didn’t want to want him.

He was torturing me, and he fucking knew it. Did he know that I wanted him inside me right now? I did, I wanted him so badly that my panties were so fucking soaked. I hated him but I guess my body didn’t get the memo. How could it? Fuck him and fuck his buddies. Why couldn’t I have just left well enough alone?

**-**

College normally didn’t give me any issues. College was fun and challenging, and sometimes overwhelming. College also normally didn’t have bullies, so I was told, but even these assholes knew how to stir up trouble. They were rich and smart, fit and handsome. Instead of using their traits for better things, they used them to take what they wanted.

I didn’t know Chase at first. He was just a pale guy with short blonde hair that leaned against the wall in the doorway of our dorm. We never paid each other attention and I tried my best to keep out of his way no thanks to the rumors.

His friends weren’t any less intimidating. His second in command, Luke, was a fit lad with straight, short black hair and borderline silver eyes, and he had paler skin than Chase. He was the growly one of the group, quick to stop and start fights and quick to glare at anyone he deemed a problem. He and I shared a math class, but we hadn’t interacted before. He was a little shorter than Chase but still stood above me by a few inches.

The third one wasn’t as chatty but was still as ruthless as Luke. His name was Mason, and he was a fucking bastard. He was just as pale as Luke, with long black hair and a long stupidly hot face with blue eyes. He was openly touchy with whatever chick he had with him and he didn’t bother pretending that he wasn’t checking me out. We didn’t share a class, but we were next-door class neighbors.

The last friend wasn’t any better, even if he was the quietest of them. Danny was a natural charmer and was good at calming his friends down, but he never stopped them from terrorizing others. Not to mention, he could be as horrible as they were when he wanted to. He had short dirty blond hair and blue eyes and always had a 5 o'clock shadow on his face. We shared two classes out of my six, but just like Luke, I never interacted with him. 

I never interacted with any of them.

I had my own friends to hang out with, people that I’d known for years. I didn’t go to parties often or made trouble and there were no guys, gals, or the like running after me...which in hindsight was actually a good thing. But that was alright with me.

My hair was brown, long, and curly; not the kind that flowed freely, but the kind that had to be brushed daily just to keep my hair from knotting up. My weight wasn’t a “tee hee” either, with a whopping three hundred and forty pounds of flab and mild muscle that shook when I ugly laughed. 

My voice was loud and abrasive to people who didn’t know me, and if my scowl wasn’t present, then I was face-deep in one of my favorite fantasy novels. I kept to myself though I tried not to be one of those wallflowers I always read about in books. 

Trying to disappear from the world didn’t get anyone anywhere.

It was because of these traits that I’d never crossed direct paths with any of these men; I could only go off rumors told to me by others. If I stayed in my lane, I’d never have to deal with them. That’s what I’d hoped for.

It wasn’t a good idea to wander the corridors of the dorm apartments alone since the boys lived and mingled in the halls and lounge. I stayed in my lane on the third floor, living my first semester as an only roommate and keeping to myself. Unless I was hanging out with friends, I rarely left my home past five in the afternoon.

With college being full-time and usually overwhelming, I tried not to go out too much and fell into video gaming and binge-reading to help me destress. I avoided being in the halls for anything and so had no reason to worry about assholes like Chase and his crew.

All it took was one evening for everything to change.

It was seven, maybe a little after. The sun hadn’t quite set yet, thank you spring, and I had to grab notes a classmate borrowed from me. I grabbed my keys, took the stairs because exercise is good, and expected her to be waiting for me. She was struggling, I could hear, turning my head from around the corner as I exited onto the first floor.

Chase and his goons had flanked her, touching her hair and attempting to tug my notes out of her hands. The pit of my stomach rolled, and I almost turned and ran away, but my feet wouldn’t move.  _ ‘Of all times to be a coward!’ _ I couldn’t just watch it, and I couldn’t run. 

Fuck me. Fuck me and my unmoving need to do the right thing.

“Hey!”

They paused only a little to glance at me. It was like I was facing a force of, well, four men. My heart was going crazy and my feet almost turned the other way. I wouldn’t have gotten far anyway; my weight and hatred of running would’ve kept me going slow. Still, what the fuck was I going to say now?

My classmate took this opportunity to shove her way through them, snatching her backpack and handing me my notes. “T-Thank you for the notes.”

“Right.” I pulled her folded notes out of my back pocket, forcing myself to ignore the four pairs of eyes on me. She was shaky, so was I. We knew better than to be out; it was like asking for trouble. To my surprise, they didn’t heckle my classmate as she passed but damn it, they were staring me down pretty fucking hard!

My feet finally realized that it was time to move so I aimed toward the stairs to leave.

“What’s your name?”

The almost-English accent coming off Chase sent chills down my spine. I paused when I should’ve kept walking, and turned when I should’ve kept my face towards the stairs. I locked eyes with him as he got closer, giving me a look as if to say  _ “yeah, you” _ . “Um…” Fuck, my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. No, no this was fine, it was okay. They didn’t see me as a target yet. “Ellie.” There was no use in lying to him; he’d figure it out soon enough either way.

“Ellie.” Hearing him say my name out loud both terrified and enticed me. “Okay.” He smirked before turning away and walking back to his pals. I took that chance to take the stairs, walking normally for all half a second before dashing up the stairs, quickly shutting and locking the door behind me.

His looks meant nothing. He’s asking for my name just to be curious. I wasn’t going to be their next victim, I just wasn’t.

The rest of the day was spent with me fretting over my predicament with him. Little to no homework got done, and the worst part was that in my dash to get away from them, the papers had slipped out of my back pocket. I was too terrified to go out and search for them. I had no idea what floors any of them lived on, and I wasn’t going to tempt the cosmos anymore than I already had!

I didn’t need to get involved with Chase or any of his goons; I just needed to get in my fucking lane and stay there before I screwed around and really got their attention.

**-**

After the week I’d had, I thought I was in the clear. They still ignored me as usual. I stuck close to my friends and refused to go out of my room at any given time. I could’ve tattled on them to the officials, but I knew the most they’d get was a slap on the wrist, not to mention I’d surely fuck myself over by telling anyone.

I used side doors as much as I could to get into the dorm and always kept to the stairs. It worked for a whole week; nothing fucking happened. I had intended to keep it that way, but life didn’t like playing out the way I wanted.

They were harassing two girls again. I would’ve turned a blind eye, as shitty as that would’ve made me, but something stopped me in my tracks. One of the girls, I didn’t recognize, but the other one had been my best friend since childhood. Maria, fuck, not her! Mason was already getting comfy in touching her hair, and they had the girls against the wall, backs all turned against me.

My first thought should’ve been to call the cops, but all I could see was blaring red in my vision. 

Maria didn’t deserve it. Anyone but her, damn it! 

I didn’t bother shouting this time, charging towards them with unchecked anger. I was loud enough that Chase had already started to turn, but I reached him too fast for him to do anything.

Everything slowed. Chase crashed into Danny and the other two stepped back, not expecting a fat girl to charge them out of nowhere. I could see Maria’s already fearful face turned terrified as if she’d grasped the severity of what I'd just done. I didn’t fucking care. 

“Leave them alone!” I put myself before Maria and her friend, breathing unevenly with rage that my parents had always warned me about. “Fuck off already, don’t you have anything better to do?!”

None of them had spoken up. Chase was still recovering from being shoved while the rest of them glared daggers through me. As if I cared! Chase’s expression turned vile in an instant as he stood and straightened himself out, with an unchecked rage that almost matched mine. My fists balled up as I prepared for a fight, but the notion was shut down when the front doors opened. 

Someone cleared their throat and I turned, surprised to see my friends. Jack and Ten were twin brothers that I’d met through middle school and they had always been quick to jump in a fight with me. Thankfully, age matured them, and they’d end up talking me out of brawls. They were quick to read the scene before Jack snorted. “You took too long Maria, the cafeteria’s gonna close soon.”

“R-Right.” Maria laughed weakly, wrapping her arm around mine as she and her friend approached the front door. Jack said nothing, having always been the quieter of the twins, and waited until we walked out the door before following Ten out. I could feel the heated stares from the guys from here but managed to ignore it enough to not turn around.

I fucked up. I made myself a target, I fucking shoved Chase! Shit, shit, and more shit!

Jack glanced at me worriedly, brown eyes checking to make sure I wasn’t hurt. It used to annoy me but now I was grateful for it. “What the hell happened in there?”

“She did something stupid,” Maria’s friend spat out.

“Willow,” Maria tried to calm the brunette down, but she wouldn’t stop glaring at me. 

“You’ve made us targets now as if I didn’t already have enough fucking problems right now! Why couldn’t you just leave well enough alone?”

“Maria is my friend,” I hissed, stopping to face the girl. “I wasn’t going to let them harass her, or you, so be fucking grateful!”

“Because of you, they’re going to harass us more.” She snorted and brushed past me. “You just made things worse!”

I wanted to be angry at her, but she might’ve had a point. Maria gave me a pitiful expression and said, “Don’t worry about Willow, she’s always listening to gossip. I’m grateful you stepped in.”

“Agreed,” Ten added, cracking his dark knuckles. “Maybe we should go back, bro. I don’t like the way they were looking at us.”

Jack snorted. “Nah, not worth it.” He raked a hand through his dreadlocks. “Not unless they actually put their hands on us. Ellie, if they ever-”

A giggle escaped my lips as I raised a hand “I know, give you guys a ring. I will, don’t worry. The last thing I need is some blown up drama.” I could see his expression slowly relax. I nudged him and followed everyone to the cafeteria, where we all got dinner and chatted with each other up.

Time escaped us and before we knew it, it was closing time. Curfew had been established for ten at night to keep crazy shit from happening. We chatted a little more before parting to go to our dorms. Jack stopped me before I could leave, giving me another worried expression. “Are you sure you don’t want someone to come with you?” 

“I’m sure,” I promised, hugging him before backing up. “Besides, the last thing you need is another pep talk by the campus police.” 

“Right, right.” He snickered and shot me a grin. “Night Ellie.” 

I waved and turned, glancing at him as he walked the other way. I never had any intention on dating anyone, but a part of me used to fancy being with that asshole. I’ve since moved on from it; he was like a brother I never had and I didn’t want to change the dynamic we had.

It was past the point where anyone was out, so I wasn’t expecting any kind of unwelcome greeting when I got to my dorm. The halls were empty and overall quiet, so I didn’t think much of it and had decided to take the elevator. The front doors had opened, and I heard familiar laughter that set my skin on edge.

If they decided to do anything…

I quickly headed for the stairs just as Chase turned the corner. I shouldn’t have turned my head, I should’ve kept it forward, but I never listened to my intuition. We locked eyes and immediately I got the urge to run.

I listened to that urge this time and bolted up the stairs, reaching the second floor just as the first floor’s door opened. I was breathless when I reached the top, but I didn’t feel like dealing with them, not while it was late enough that anything could happen!

My hands shook as I fumbled with my keys, unlocking my door just as the third floor’s door opened. I shut the door as quickly and as quietly behind me, cupping my mouth and backing up so they wouldn’t hear me breathing. Their footsteps passed and I held my breath, sighing softly in relief when their steps quieted.

I almost screamed when a pair of footsteps had returned. They paused in front of my door and I shook, watching the door warily. Someone knocked three times, slowly. Then nothing. I could hear the faint ringing in my ears only for it to be replaced with a familiar, deep chuckle.

_ ‘He knew.’ _

Of course, he knew! I got fucking careless! 

When his footsteps receded, I texted the group-chat Ten had made for Jack, Maria, and me. They expressed worry and Ten even offered to come and spend the night, but it wasn’t worth it to break curfew, not over some stupid man-children. Even as fear grasped me tightly, I wasn’t going to let any of them ruin the sanctity that I had in my dorm. Even if he was intimidating, I wasn’t going to let Chase bother me like this. I was going to enjoy my spring semester whether he liked it or not.

**-**

Laundry day was fun. Loud machines with a bunch of loud people, and I only ever had time to do it on the loudest day, Saturday. I kept my headphones in, bobbing to music as I kept my eyes on my laundry, watching it spin round and round in the dryer. Maria was sitting next to me, scrolling through social media while glancing at me about ten million times.

Ever since I stood up to Chase, there were whispers making their way across campus. There were a few times that I was given pitiful looks, while others were from those less friendly, students I angered by messing with the boys. It didn’t matter to me; I was back to not caring about them the day after, intent on keeping up with my wacky schedule to make sure my grades looked right.

Three days later and I was back to my usual routine, not caring at all about the glances I’d gotten from Danny or Luke, or how Mason’s eyes screamed murder when he stared at me. For some reason, I was untouchable, and I liked that.

Maria and the twins were worried about me, however, but I kept assuring them that everything was fine.

I reached over and patted Maria’s shoulder gently. “Hey, I’m gonna go get a breather, be right back.”

She nodded and smiled. “I’ll keep an eye on your laundry.”

“Thank you.” I got up and walked out of the laundry room, taking a deep breath as I stepped into the hall. I pulled out my wallet and approached the vending machine with the intent to get a soda. Out of the blue, I felt my shoulders tense up. I couldn’t verify why my body was on edge until my eyes flickered over to the other vending machine. 

Chase was standing right next to me.

I swallowed but did my best not to turn to face him, reminding myself that he wasn’t in control of me and I could get a soda without feeling fearful if I damn well pleased. “Chase.” My tone sounded harsher than I meant it to, but I was forcing myself not to be afraid of him.

“Ell-ie,” he spoke, dragging my name out. I could feel his eyes on me, but I still didn’t turn. “Laundry day?”

“Yep.” Was he seriously trying to make idle conversation? I glanced over at him and saw his eyes flickering at the multiple choices of snacks. His eyes then wandered over to mine and I was quick to look away. So much for keeping my cool.

Another awkward moment of silence passed before I cleared my throat and muttered good-bye. “Hold on,” he spoke up. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t,” I bit out, almost flinching at how aggressive I sounded. “Bye.”

Chase spoke up again. “All bark and no bite, aren’t you? Here.” I turned my head and saw that he was holding out the notes that I’d dropped, as well as my abandoned bottle of soda. “Don’t you want these back?” It was like looking at a viper hovering over fresh food. He was waiting to strike.

Against my better judgment, I reached for the papers and tried to take them. He didn’t let them go, watching me with a sly smile on his face. We stood there for a minute too long. I was tempted to let the papers go, but he finally relented and set them free. I held the papers to my chest and scowled, snatching my drink away from him.

Without looking back, I turned and rushed to the laundry room. I said nothing about my encounter with Chase to Maria, worried that it would add to the stress she already had. With her struggling with grades, she didn’t need anything else to worry about.

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly as my laundry day ended. I took my clothes back to my dorm room and folded them to gentle lo-fi music, getting half of it done before I took a short break. My dorm home was technically just an apartment room under the college’s ownership. I was sitting on a dark green couch with another two meters away mirroring it. There was a loveseat against the wall to the right, and a coffee table was placed in the middle to dress up the empty space.

Behind the couch was a simple dinner table and four chairs, and up against the wall was a shelf where I placed any books or movies I liked. I didn’t bother with a tv since the twins had one, and had settled with my laptop to play movies and games since I wasn’t much of a console gamer. My bedroom was about the same in terms of simplicity, with just a bed, bedside tables, and dressers. 

I took a minute to take deep breaths, feeling happy for a moment as I glanced around my home. I hadn't owned it for a long time, but it felt just as much home to me as my former home.

If I hadn’t gotten a text from Maria, I would’ve forgotten to go check my mail. The apartments had personal mailboxes set up, so students didn’t have to wander too far from their homes, and I was expecting mail from my grandparents any day. 

I opened the door after slipping my shoes on and walked out, losing my breath when my neighbor from two doors down opened his door.

Luke

Fuck me.

The bastard glanced in my direction, but I couldn't keep eye contact with him. Instead, I shut the door behind me and padded my way to the elevator, and stepped inside. Either the punk was with a lover or that was his home, and I prayed to God that it was the former. After checking my mailbox and finding nothing, I went back upstairs and was relieved to find no one out. I unlocked my door just as someone behind me spoke up.

“Ellie~”

I calmed my nerves and turned around, finding three out of four assholes looking at me. “What is it?”

Chase crossed his arms and said, “If I had known we were neighbors, I would’ve invited you to lunch sooner.”

Neighbors? I glanced at Luke and Mason nervously.

Luke pointed out where the hall turned left and said, “He lives right there, sweetie. The wall you’re facing is his, this door is mine, and the ones further down belong to...well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Okay.” I shrugged and pretended like this didn’t bother me. “Can I help you with something?”

“You’re a lot more talkative now, aren’t you?” Chase teased.

“Get to the point!” I snapped, surprised that I lost my cool so quickly. Why the fuck was he so close, why did any of them live near me? Was it too much to just ask for peace?!

Mason chuckled and pointed to my door. “We should talk somewhere more private.”

I shook my head and placed my arm across the doorway. “Not a chance.”

Chase smirked and approached me as if to test my resolve. I stayed planted where I was. “I knew you were spitfire when you first opened your mouth. It’s cute, but cuteness will get you nowhere fast.” He reached out and gripped my chin painfully hard, his cool demeanor all but gone. “You put your hands on me when I never even glanced your way. I could press charges for that, and they’d eat up anything I say to them.”

“Because you’re rich?” I hissed, gasping in pain when he gripped my chin harder.

“You’re a smart girl,” he cooed, shoving me inside my dorm and following me. His goons trailed in and the door was shut and locked. “I could fuck your life up, make it hard for you to finish the rest of the semester. Rumors, accidents, you name it.” He sat down on my worn green couch and propped his boots on my coffee table. “But that sounds boring, and honestly I think that’d crush you way too fast for my liking.”

Mason rested his back against the door and crossed his arms, openly checking me out, while Luke sat on the arm of the couch next to Chase. I wanted to start screaming or call the cops, or even try to fight them, but Chase had a point. They were rich boys and they’d gotten away with more than I could probably imagine. Fuck me.

“What do you want?”

“I want to make a deal with you. You’re cute, probably won’t end up dating anyone any time soon.” Chase shrugged. “I’ve been looking for a plaything that will last. Heckling girls in the halls is…not ideal, especially since the officers will eventually have a snitch come to them. Like I need that mess right now.” He spoke about it so casually that it almost made me sick to my stomach. What an asshole!

My butt found a chair to sit on as I glared at him. “Maybe I should just wait for a snitch to approach the officers and start screaming bloody murder,” I threatened, blowing my the brown curls out of my face.

“Sure, but until then we’ll just have fun with that pretty blond friend of yours,” Luke sneered, giving me an evil grin.

I was up in an instant, aiming to punch him only for Mason to wrap his arms around me to hold me back. “You fucking touch her and I’ll fucking-!”

“You’ll fucking do nothing, fatty,” Luke teased, smirking as my scowl deepened. “What? You can’t. the most you can do is hug her after she tells you in detail how I filled her pussy and how dirty she feels. Do you want that? Huh?”

I growled and tried to wriggle out of Mason’s grasp, but even for a skinny guy, he was strong in holding me back. His free hand reached down to grab my ass and I shrieked, tearing myself from him to make the distance between them and me.

Chase sighed and glanced at Luke. “Can we not?”

“What?” Luke shrugged. “I figured scaring her might help.”

I crossed my arms and snorted. “If anything, it makes me want to report you even more.”

“Try it then,” Chase said with a shrug. “With no evidence and very few people supporting you, that will do nothing but piss me off.” He licked his lips. “I’m trying to be nice to you, but you just bark so much…kind of like a puppy.”

Mason snickered and crossed his arms. “I knew she reminded me of some animal.”

“A small bitch, I like it,” Luke added.

Despite their warnings, I was still tempted to see what would happen if I just started a fire. Sure, the rest of my semester would look like shit, but I was willing to take that chance just to shut these idiots down. 

Chase read my face closely as if trying to read my mind and emotions. “Let me sweeten the deal.” He got up and approached me. “You become our plaything, our little  _ ‘Puppy’ _ , and we’ll leave the rest of the campus alone.”

What?

“We won’t harass anyone else, in fact, we’ll turn our whole act around. In return, you become our little bitch.” He didn’t stop approaching me, and despite my resilience to keep it together, I caved and started backing up. “You’ll listen to our every whim, when we say sit, you’ll sit, when we say strip, you’ll strip.” He backed me into the wall. I tried to keep a straight face, but his face had gotten close to mine and I couldn’t help but flinch away and stare at the ground. “Be our little puppy and no one has to worry about us for the rest of the semester.”

Chase was a sick fuck and so were his friends. The fact that he wasn’t trying to corner some buxom blonde or hot redhead was beyond me, but I hated that he was choosing me and giving me this offer. It was tempting, especially since he was threatening Maria. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was one of the few to actually try and do something about him or if it was because I lived right around the corner, but I knew that if I didn’t accept then it would mean a slew of problems would be on my doorstep.

They could ruin me and hurt my friends just to see me cave, and not think twice about it. I glared at him as my breaths turned uneven. I hated how terrified of him I was, but I had to accept his proposal. At least everyone would be spared. Everyone…but me. 

“Fine.”

“Nuh-uh, I need to see if you’re actually willing to do this.” Chase stepped back and pointed to the ground. “Get on your knees.”

_ ‘I could punch him. Right here and now, just do it.’ _ My knees were threatening to cave in from how overwhelmed I felt, so this worked out. I got on my knees and tried not to show fear, even if doing so gave me a terrifying view of Chase. Why did all the handsome guys have to be pricks?

“Good girl.” Chase stood in front of me, his groin uncomfortably close to my face. He then unbuckled and set his little monster free. 

Little…wasn’t doing Chase any justice to how big he was. He was only half-mast, but already I feared the package he wielded. “I want you to tell me that you willingly agree to be the group’s slut, and I want you to kiss my cock like you mean it.”

“This is excessive,” I almost whispered, surprised at how scared I sounded.

“Necessary,” Chase corrected, smirking down at me. “Unless you’re not up to the task?”

I wasn’t about to tell him that I’ve never seen a real penis in person, that I was a virgin, or that I’ve never put my lips near a man’s groin before. I was twenty but I valued my innocence with the hopes that the right guy would come along. Clearly, I should’ve fucked someone sooner.

“Say it. Convince me and I’ll believe you. Otherwise, Maria’s the first to get hurt.”

“Okay.” My body shook but I forced my mind and body to calm down. “I, Ellie F-Fisher, willingly choose to be the group whore.”

“Not convinced,” Chase said, stifling a yawn. “I said to mean it, Ellie.”

Fuck! I hated him, I hated all of them. I tried my hardest to imagine people I crushed on or liked a lot as I stared at Chase. “I want to be the group slut-”

“Try again!” He slapped my face with his cock and I bit back a yelp. Don’t glare, don’t get upset. I had to focus. There was a way he wanted me to say it. I didn’t like it and my stomach churned at the thought of it, but I had to mean it.

I shakily raised my hands, grabbing his thighs as I said, “Please let me be the group whore. I want to be your slut, Chase, and theirs. Use my virgin holes as much as you want.” I wanted to throw up. Instead, I leaned in and kissed his shaft, ignoring the loud pounding of my heart as I got a taste of him.

He raked his fingers in my hair carefully and said, “That’s a good puppy. Of course, I’ll accept.”

I heard a noise and glanced over, realizing that Mason had been filming us. How much? Did it matter? I turned to Chase with a panicked expression only to find him giving Mason a deadpan expression. “Don’t send that to anyone yet. Damn, just this once I wanted it to be private.”

“Sorry,” Mason said with a shrug. “I don’t trust fatty; we need a little leverage.” A little?!

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Luke added. “Wait until Danny hears about this.”

The carpet was becoming amazingly fascinating to me. I couldn’t face any of them, not with tears building in my eyes. Not only did they humiliate me, but they recorded it too. I heard Chase zipping back up and gasped as he pulled me to my feet, cupping my cheek and forcing me to face him. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“You’re the worst,” I hissed, flinching as a tear dripped down my face.

“Maybe, but now you saved an entire campus from the wrath of rich boys. You should celebrate.” He let go of my cheek and turned, only to turn back around and hold up a finger. “Right, almost forgot. We’ll have a little coronation tomorrow, just for you. I’m sure you knew we had rules already set up for you, but the only one right now is to not tell anyone.” If Chase hadn’t been the worst asshole in history, he would look completely panty-dropping with the smile he gave me. “I’m sure you knew that already though, didn’t you?”

I wiped my eyes and said nothing, watching as the three of them left my dorm room and shut the door behind them. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to collapse into a sea of tears, scream into the world, or break the first rule they gave me. Instead, I quietly cooked myself dinner and finished up my laundry. If they were serious, they really would leave my friends and everyone alone. I had to put faith in that, especially after what Chase made me do.

My heart wouldn’t still, even after finishing my homework and chores for the day. Eleven had struck when I’d finally crawled into the sheets. But even as I rolled over and closed my eyes, I knew sleep might not come to me. Or if it did, it would bring along unwelcome nightmares. Two rolled around when my consciousness finally gave way to sleep that I desperately needed.

When I woke, all I could remember seeing was his smug grin with me chained to the floor. I could do nothing like my friends and their friends were put through hell. I was terrified of getting a heart attack with how much my heart had been racing in the past day.

Getting breakfast in my system was a slow process, and I could barely focus on work that was due by midnight that day. I knew that once I set foot in one of their dorms, I wouldn’t get the chance to finish my homework for the rest of the day. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t seen the small paper on my floor sooner, but it was just in front of my door. On it was Chase’s phone number, one that he expected me to put on my phone.

I knew…I knew that once I went to them there was no going back. I wanted to trash the number and pretended I didn’t see it. Instead, I put it in my phone and put his name under “Asshole.” Fitting, considering all his actions.


	2. Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The real fun begins~

Of all the things I thought I’d be doing in this city-esque college, bending over for anyone wasn’t on the list. Any attempts to take my mind off of the boys helped none; my anxiety was almost too much to deal with and in the end, I ended up doing nothing but messing with my phone for a while.

The evening hit with no word from any of them. Maybe they’d forgotten? Not likely, considering who I was dealing with. It was half-past six when I finally heard a knock on my door. I opened it and saw Danny, who didn’t have an eager smile on his face, nor did he look amused. His blue eyes wandered up and down before he gave an unsatisfied expression. “Come on.”

Danny didn’t say another word, though he didn’t have to. I slipped on my slippers and glanced down at my light blue undershirt and dark blue sweats. I felt very underdressed but that probably didn’t matter depending on what the guys had in store for me. I followed him and watched as he pulled out a large set of keys, unlocking what was supposedly Chase’s dorm room.

The curtains were closed inside, and there wasn’t any light other than the beginning of the sunset peeking through. Chase was there alongside Luke and Mason. Once Danny shut the door behind us, I felt incredibly small and shy. I was confident up until then, feeling sure of myself that I could handle whatever these rich boys had up their sleeves. When I stood in the doorway, all I saw were four men who could overpower me and do worse.

Was coming to them really the better option in the end?

Chase wiggled his finger for me to come closer and I complied, shivering when he cupped my cheek and gripped my thigh with his other hand. “You look so scared, you know that? It’s hot, makes me want to do so many things to you.” He leaned in and lapped at my neck, and I yelped in response and tried to back up from him. He clung to my sweats firmly and shook his head. “No, no, you stay right the fuck here. Luke?”

Luke approached me as Chase took a step back, grabbing my hips and pulling me to him. “Have you ever been kissed, Ellie?” He didn’t wait for an answer as his lips descended upon mine. I struggled at first, all but forgetting the deal as I tried to push him away, but he kept me close, grabbing and groping my ass. His kiss was rough, teeth pushing against my lips as his hands clung to my fat. 

I whined and stopped struggling, gasping for air when he finally pulled back. “Now you have,” he murmured, lips still close to mine as his black bangs brushed against my forehead.

I shut my eyes for a moment to try and regain myself. Everything was happening so fast! Luke’s fingertips grazed my neck before he latched something around me. I didn’t have to see it to know it was a collar. I opened both my eyes and mouth to protest but Luke kissed me again before I could say anything. “Shut up and listen,” he commanded, stepping away from me.

My body trembled as I had full sight of all four of them, touching the collar with both my hands as I struggled to keep it together.

Chase looked me up and down before saying, “You know, I don’t think this is appropriate.” What? I glanced at Chase with a bewildered expression. He smirked and waved his hand. “Take it off, all of it.”

Even though my mind told me this was going to happen, I didn’t feel any more prepared than I already was. I trembled where I stood but did as I was told, taking off my undershirt and sweatpants as they sat and watched me. I faintly noticed the expensive-looking couches and gaming set he had set up in his living room. My back was toward the kitchen to the left and I was facing his living room, stripping for him and his buddies’ enjoyment.

I stopped at my underwear and bra, but after he raised his eyebrows expectedly, I shut my eyes tight and discarded what was left, gritting my teeth when Luke catcalled me. A cool breeze that came from the air conditioner chilled my body, causing me to fold my arms over my large breasts. I felt ashamed and dirty, and their idea of real fun hadn’t even begun yet.

“Good girl,” He cooed as he leaned back and watched me. “Get on your knees and come to me.”

The soft carpet below me was my only comfort as I stumbled on my hands and knees to get to him. They all stared at me with hungry eyes and satisfied smiles, as if my torture made their day. When I made it to his knees, he pointed to his lap and said, “Up.”

Despite knowing that I had to, I couldn’t move. I was so close, so nude; I couldn’t reveal myself to him, not any more than I’d already had. Still, he was waiting, so I ignored my violent shaking and got up, straddling him as I sank us both into the couch. I closed my eyes and trembled violently enough that I was vibrating off of him.

“What a good puppy,” Chase cooed, petting my head gently. “You’re so scared. But we didn’t whip you yet, now did we?”

I shook my head. “N-No, just force me to strip and kiss your penis and put a collar on me. N-No big deal.”

Chase’s hand gripped my ass, kneading a cheek as he said, “Open your fucking eyes, Ellie.”

My stomach stirred as I opened my eyes, trying my hardest not to glare at him.

“That’s a lot of fat on your lap Chase,” Mason drawled, “you sure you can handle it?”

“More than sure,” he decided, green eyes studying me closely. “Now that you’re all settled, you’re going to listen to every detail we give you and you’re going to follow them. Can you do that for me, Puppy?”

I nodded in response as my cheeks warmed from the awful nickname.

“The rules are simple,” Danny finally spoke up, grabbing my attention. “From now on, you’re Chase’s girlfriend, or that’s what you’ll tell everyone eventually. Be convincing, make sure they know that you changed his ways of thought and fell for his charms.”

Gross. As if I wanted to date the asshole I was sitting on top of!

“Secondly,” he continued, “just as you were told to repeat, you will submit to any demands we give, regardless if it's homework assistance or spreading your legs open. If you deny us at any point, you will be punished by how we see fit. If you continue to deny us, then we go back on the deal and back to our old ways.”

“Which means that Maria gets the creampie instead of you,” Luke warned me.

I shuddered in disgust but nodded. “Okay. So, be your snow bunny and no one gets hurt?”

“No,” Chase stated, wrapping an arm around me and leaning up. I had no choice but to cling to him, terrified that he couldn’t hold me up. “You’re our little puppy who’s gonna fetch our bones when we tell her. You’re going to be a good girl, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes,” I replied, gasping when he gripped my ass harshly.

“Yes, what?”

Chase really was the worst. “Yes Sir,” I replied, relaxing and letting go of him when he leaned back.

He smirked and stroked my thigh. “Wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

I wanted to throw up. “No, Sir.” Satisfied, Chase patted my head again before motioning for me to get off him. I did and stood, taking a step back when he stood up. His hands gripped my breasts and squeezed tightly. Sparks when up and down my spine but I ignored them and stared at the wall.

“We’re going to initiate you now,” he said, leaning down and pressing his lips against my ear. “I’m feeling generous tonight, Ellie, so instead of taking your virginity, we’re going to paint you in white. Go to the bedroom and lie on my bed.”

“Yes Sir,” bit out, turning around and forcing my legs to move. I didn’t have to venture far; his bedroom was nice; he had a large bed, a flat-screen on top of his dresser, and the place was cleaner than I thought it’d be. I walked to the bed but couldn’t get myself to get in it, not yet. I was scared, no, terrified. 

Fuck, I couldn’t do it!

“Puppy~,” Mason said in a sing-song tone. “Follow the Master’s instructions.”

I couldn't, I just couldn’t! I backed up but Mason’s hand pushed me onto the bed. The soft blankets below gave me no comfort as I turned and laid on my back. Mason was already in the room when the rest came in.

Instead of feeling disgusted when they took off their clothes, my stomach couldn’t help but jolt at the sight of them. Like I suspected, they were all fit in their own ways, looking as handsome as their faces were. Mason only looked thin; the moment his shirt was off, I could see the muscle in his arms and the abs on his stomach.

Luke was a little more muscular than Mason and had tattoos all over his body from the waist up. He smirked in my direction upon seeing me ogle him, so I turned my attention elsewhere. Danny had the least amount of muscle, but it was still there in his arms.

Not surprising me in the least, Chase was the one with the most muscle and chest to show off. It wasn’t any surprise why people chose not to pick a fight with him; he looked like he could bench all three hundred forty pounds of me.

“You sure we can’t break her in today?” Luke asked, resting his elbow on Chase’s shoulder. I didn’t respond to that and decided to stare at the ceiling. My body, however, would not stop shaking.

“No,” he replied, “now get over there and stop staring.” Chase got onto the bed and placed his hands on my legs, dragging me down some. Danny was above me, while Mason was on my right and Luke was on my left. 

Only then, when I was surrounded by all of them, was I trying my hardest not to cry.

“Shh, don’t cry yet, baby.” Chase’s shitty way of comforting me worked only a little. He crawled up, hovering over me and kissing around my face. “We’re going to teach you how to please a man, nothing more. I’m giving you the option to give away your virginity.”

I was tempted to laugh at him as I stared at him, but when he didn’t make a notion that he was joking, I frowned. “What? W-Why? You’re taking everything else away from me.”

“There are some lines I just don’t cross, Ellie,” he spoke, kissing my forehead before backing up. “We’re going to help you use the rest of your body today. Now, tilt your head up and open your mouth.”

My body shuddered but I did as he asked, gasping in surprise when Danny’s dick was hovering over me. He was big enough to scare me, to maybe entice me. Luke and Mason grabbed my hands and led them to their dicks. Mason’s was longer while Luke’s was thicker. I shut my eyes tight as my heart raced wildly. 

Danny slid his cock inside my mouth slowly, testing my limits before going deeper. “Move your hands,” Chase demanded, spreading my legs open. I did as he asked, pumping the two dicks between my fingers.

Danny started to thrust into my mouth softly, not quite reaching my limits as I took half of his eight inches in. Mason was packing nine, and Luke, eight. I kept my eyes shut as they fucked my upper body, reaching over and playing with my breasts and stomach. I hated the scent coming off their stupid dicks, but my body reacted instinctively.

My hips suddenly bucked as Chase’s finger traced over my slit before slipping a finger inside. I wanted to protest, but the rest of the guys around me were picking up the tempo. Danny was now stretching my limits as his balls hit my head; my hands were aching from how fast my hands were being moved, leading Mason and Luke to assist me in my hand movements.

Chase continued to pump his finger inside, adding a second one easily as he churned my pussy. “That’s it, Puppy, work that body.”

I whined in response to his encouragement, trembling as the guys went even faster with my body. I thought I was going to puke, and my hands ached, but they kept fucking me, twisting and pulling at my nipples.

“Good bitch,” Luke groaned, fondling my breast roughly. I arched and whined loudly, trembling from desire as Chase fingered my pussy faster.

“I like it when she squirms,” Mason groaned, twisting my nipple almost painfully. “Fuck, I’m gonna cum.”

“Fuck,” Danny hissed, pulling out abruptly. I opened my eyes, writhing as I was moments away from cumming as I watched him fuck his fist.

Chase fingered me harder, fingers digging and rubbing that sensitive spot in me. I arched and twisted, gasping for air as I had a seizure. “Fuck! Oh, fuck, God!” My toes dug into the bed as I neared the edge. “Chase, please!”

“That’s not my name,” Chase cooed, slowing his movements. My hips moved on their own, struggling to get the friction needed to cum. “What’s my name?” 

Tears threatened to roll down my eyes. “M-Master, please, please let me cum!” 

“Fuck, better give it to her, Chase,” Luke almost growled, lifting my arm to suck on my fingers as he fapped over my body. “Cum with us, Puppy~”

My body couldn’t fight it as his fingers picked up the tempo, finding and rubbing that sweet spot. I tensed up and arched hard as I came, crying out as they spilled their seed on my chest and stomach. Chase kept my body twitching, using his thumb to stroke my clit slowly before stopping. “Good girl.” He pulled his hand away and placed it on his knee as the other three finished spilling their semen on my body.

Common sense fled me for a moment as Mason rubbed his fingers in the semen, pressing them against my lips. “Suck it all up.” I did as he asked, wrapping my sore lips around his fingers and licking him clean. He chuckled and pulled them out of my mouth. “Fuck, Chase I think we found a freak.”

“Maybe,” Chase muttered, staring at my body hungrily. “Go get cleaned up, and bring me a damp and dry cloth.”

“On it,” Luke replied, smirking down at me before getting off the bed. Mason and Danny followed suit, grabbing their clothing and slipping them back on. I was only mildly aware of what they were doing, still catching my breath and coming down from my high.

Everything was silent for a moment aside from the soft chatter of the guys in the bathroom. I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them back up to face Chase. He was staring at me and said nothing; no smirk or satisfied smile to be found on his face. I then glanced lower, realizing that he still had his pants on and that he was hard.

Luke came back and gave Chase what he asked for, and he started wiping me down with a damp cloth. “W-What are you doing?” I asked stupidly, watching him nervously.

“Cleaning you,” he replied, wiping my stomach down first. “Only an asshole makes the woman clean herself up.”

“You’re not an asshole?” I highly doubted that he was anything but. His half-smirk verified that for me. “Okay so…why?”

“Just focus on getting a breather,” he replied. “I still haven’t gotten mine yet.” I was terrified to think of what that meant. He said he was giving me the freedom to give it up but…he wasn’t done with me yet? I thought I did everything he’d asked for! I didn’t fight him and instead closed my eyes, ignoring the guys as they got louder in the bathroom.

I hadn’t meant to pass out on him.

**-**

The alarm clock that sat on his bedside table blared past midnight as I woke up. If I hadn’t gotten my homework done before Danny came to get me, it would’ve been past due at that point. I yawned and sat up, wiping my eyes. Did I really sleep for six hours?

I looked up to my left and almost gasped as I saw Chase leaning against the wall, staring outside with his arms crossed. He then turned to me and smiled. “I never said to go to sleep.”

“I’m sorry.” I hugged myself and tried to blink the sleep away. “That took a lot from me.”

He said nothing and turned to face me, approaching me slowly and getting in bed. I didn’t move, shuddering as he reached out and raked my curly hair out of my face. “You’re cute when you’re sleepy.” I scowled as my face turned pink, barely keeping from gasping as he leaned in to kiss me. It was gentler than what Luke did to me; sensual and slow.

In the back of my mind, I knew I should’ve been fighting him, but I caved. He was the only soft thing I could get out of this whole ordeal, and I was going to accept it even if it was wrong. His lips moved against mine eagerly as he pulled me close, kneading my ass gently. “I want to fuck you so bad,” he whispered against my lips.

“B-But you won’t,” I challenged, shuddering as he pulled me close and ground against me. “Right?”

“Right,” he repeated, kissing me deeply and humping my body. “Maybe I should take it back. You didn’t get me off today, and that’s unfair.”

My hands gripped the shirt he was wearing, almost grinding back as my breathing hastened. “C-Chase…”

The world suddenly tilted as he pushed me on my back, spreading my legs apart as he went back to devouring my lips, pushing his tongue inside my mouth. Despite everything, my tongue met his as I gasped, struggling not to rock my hips as he pressed his erection on me. “Testing my patience,” he warned, pulling his shorts down and letting his erection hit my sopping entrance.

“Please,” I begged, pulling back and shaking my head. He said he wouldn’t! “Y-You said-!”

Chase kissed me, shutting me up effectively before lifting his head up. “I’m not going back on my promise, now shut up.” He leaned back and pushed my legs back to where my ass angled up, grinding his length against my entry. My clit was bumped against more than once as he focused on pushing his cock against my flesh.

My body was pinned, and I couldn’t do anything but watch as he continued to slick against me. “Fuck, fuck I wanna do you so bad right now. Make you whine and scream.” He chuckled through his pants. “That’d make you cry, wouldn’t it?”

I didn’t answer, too scared of what he’d do. My arousal was rising as he ground against me, moving his hips faster and bumping my clit with his cock repeatedly. I gripped the sheets as my breath came undone, almost transfixed with his movements.

Out of nowhere, he pulled away and took deep breaths, leveling his cock against my entrance. He pressed but never pushed my pussy apart before pulling away. He then pressed, and pulled, pressed, and pulled, all the while stroking his dick.

My teeth grit together as I tried not to say anything. What he was doing was torturous; I almost wanted him to just put it in. Maybe he wanted to make me say it, say that I needed him inside me. Fuck, I didn’t want to give that to him, but at this rate, I was going to cry out of frustration! Fuck!

“Chase, please stop,” I whimpered.

“I’m not fucking you, am I?” he grated, continuing to rub at my wet flesh. “I will get mine tonight, Ellie, and you’ll be here until I do.” I kept arching and twitching under him, breathing unevenly as he ground into me, rocking the bed as if he was fucking me.

His cock throbbed against me and I could tell that he was going to cum soon. He then abruptly pulled away. “Face over here, now!” He barked. I jumped up and went to him, whining as he shoved his length inside of me, fucking my face ruthlessly. 

I choked and gagged, struggling not to throw up. I almost did, and he’d pull back only to thrust into my face again. My pussy quivered and my limbs shook as he went to town with my face, making me taste him and part of myself.

Without warning, he came inside, groaning as his seed spilled into my mouth. I almost choked it up and tried to pull back, but Chase grabbed a fistful of my hair, holding me in place. “You’ll fucking drink it or you’ll be here for a long time.” I followed his instructions, gulping down the white stuff slowly while his cock was still deep in my throat. When I stopped swallowing, he pulled out. “Open your mouth.” I did as he asked, gasping in surprise when he tapped my cheek twice. “Good Puppy. You’ll drink your milk like this every time without spilling a drop.”

I wanted to glare at him, but I was too busy fighting away the arousal. My thighs shifted against each other, seeking friction while my mind sought an end to this madness. I closed my eyes tight and focused on breathing deeply, hoping that it would calm my desire. Chase hummed, licking my cheek and earning a surprised gasp in return. “Looks like you liked that,” he teased, tucking his dick back in his shorts.

He then sat at the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow, we need to do something to get the action going. You know, making me act like I’ve been purified by true love.” He held his hands to his chest and made a pouting face. He then chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t care about the theatrics so do what you want, but if we’re going to convince a whole campus that you’re turning me into a ‘better’ young man, then we need to stage a little something.”

“What do you want me to do specifically?” I asked, already hating this idea. 

“I don’t know, a kiss or something?” He pondered.

“Right after I slap you,” I muttered.

He said nothing and for a moment, I was afraid that I’d angered him. Instead, he grinned and said, “If they see that and I apologize instead of making a fuss, won’t that be something? I say I apologize; you act like you’re skeptical or whatever, and we’ll build from that. Hang out, go on dates, and then you can throw the ‘boyfriend’ term around.”

“And what after?” Would there ever be an end to it? Did I have to live out the rest of the semester like this? One look on Chase’s face told me that he didn’t know when it ended either. I sighed and glanced outside, watching the patterns of light that came from the blinds. I still had the urge to cry and fuck, but I ignored both. “Can I go back to my dorm?”

“Yeah.” He waved me away. “I’m done with you for tonight.” I ignored how painfully dismissive he was and got up, making my way back to the living room where my clothes were abandoned. After slipping everything back on, I made my way back to my dorm room, locking the door behind me. I could shower in the morning, I told myself, deciding that sleep was needed after that mess. I checked a couple of my texts before setting an alarm for seven am.

Despite everything, I got a six-hour nap, and it was the longest nap I had since I’d started college.  _ ‘At least those idiots are good for something,’ _ I thought, yawning as I closed my eyes.

**-**

There was no fucking way I could do this. I was sitting with my friends and acting as if everything was fine, but I knew as much as everyone else when Chase and his gang rolled in for a munch. My stomach rolled, but there were dozens and dozens of students in the cafeteria, so it was the best place to stage it.

Just like clockwork, they rolled in. Mason and Luke had a girl by their side, and as usual, Danny was lagging, wearing a beanie to hide his shaggy hair. To think they used me as a toy just the night before. When they were close enough and some students cleared the way, I stood up. He didn’t care about theatrics, but goddamn it, I wanted nothing more than to punch his face.

“Ellie…?” Maria looked up at me worriedly. I felt sick looking at her, knowing that they would’ve toyed with her if I hadn’t agreed to become their pet. I felt that unchecked rage growing in me and used it to move toward Chase. His eyes flickered and he knew what was about to happen, but what he didn’t know was how fucking pissed I was at him.

When I slapped him, his head turned sharply and the sound that rang off him made me flinch. The cafeteria went silent which sent my heart pounding wildly. Despite this…this whole fucking thing being an act I was still pissed with him. He threatened my friends, my college life! All because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself!

Words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Maybe next fucking time, you’ll keep your hands to yourself!” My body was trembling again; I was tempted to slap, no, punch him, just to revel in how good it felt to hurt him like he was hurting me.

His friends weren’t caught up to date on what Chase wanted me to do and took steps forward to me, but Chase held up a hand, cupping his cheek with the other. He looked down at me dismissively and asked, “What the fuck was that for?”

“Don’t play coy with me, or do I need to push you again?” A smile almost appeared on my face as he glared at me warningly.

“Maybe we should take this outside,” he muttered, glancing at the students behind us.

“Fine,” I bit out, following him to the tables outside. There were a few students sitting there, but upon seeing Chase, they packed up their meals and got out of dodge. I glanced at them and noticed their pitiful glances. Boy, if they only knew! I glared at Chase and crossed my arms. “I’m not surprised you don’t remember; you harass people on a daily fucking basis.”

He raised an eyebrow as he sat on one of the tables, using the bench as a prop for one of his feet. “Your point?”

“My point is that unless you want a storm headed your way, watch who you fucking touch next time,” I spat. “Don’t tell me, you forgot who pushed you over like a soda can.” My eyebrow twitched and I almost smiled. Good, I was pissing him off a little.

Chase forced a smile. “I could report you for that.”

“But you haven’t yet,” I pointed out. “Which leads me to think that you don’t want any problems, now do you? No? Right, so do me a favor and keep your fucking hands to yourself. It’s hard enough dealing with college without some assholes heckling us every five seconds.”

Oops. Chase didn’t know how to respond to that. That meant two things: I ran him into a corner, and I had to bring him back out of it. Great. I walked over to a different table and sat down, facing him as I crossed my legs. “If it makes you feel any less like shit, I didn’t want to put my hands on you.” That was a lie. “Maria’s just…she’s good people, one of the few I have left.” That wasn’t a lie. “She’s been through enough. I get it, you like cute girls, but at least go out of your way to find cute consenting girls.”

Alright, I was back on track!

“Why should I take any advice from you?” He countered, smirking as if he knew he was being a dumbass. Was he trying to make this hard?

“Do, or don’t, I don’t care. Just leave my friend alone.” I shrugged.

Chase got up and got close, all but forgetting that we were supposed to stage something. His hands rested on either side of me, trapping me to the table. “And if I don’t?”

“You’re going to tell me you’ve got no empathy?” I raised my hand up, caring little about who was watching as I placed it on his chest. “You can’t tell me what it’s like getting picked on and prodded at? It’s terrifying, Chase.” It was. Chase had money, means, and he could get away with anything he wanted to.

“It’s just a game, honey,” he backed up suddenly, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I don’t mean anything by it. I’ve never hurt a woman in my life.” He was hurting one already, but he knew that. “If it really bothers you, I’ll stop.”

I snorted and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe that.”

“You don’t have to,” he assured me. “You look like I’m about to hit you.” I did? Well shit. I glanced over quickly and saw that Jack and Ten were close to the front door…alongside several other witnesses. The only difference was that the twins were braced for a fight.

“I think you’re a fucking idiot, but I don’t think that you’d hit me,” I spoke up, leaning forward and kneading my hands together. “You’re an intimidating fuck though, I’ll give you that.”

“Oh you have no idea,” he promised. He then held out his hand. “Shake on it. I leave your friends alone and don’t press charges, and you…well, you just stay out of my way.”

My lips twitched as I threatened to smile. “It’s a deal.” I stood up and shook his hand, gripping it firmly. “You break your deal, and I get to slap you again.”

“As if you could get away with it a second time,” he spoke with a chuckle. “Alright, miss, you’ll leave you be to finish your lunch.”

“Look at you being a gentleman,” I almost sneered, letting go of his hand. “Be seeing you, hopefully never.” I approached the twins and gripped Jack’s shirt sleeve, trying my hardest not to tremble from nervousness as he led me out of the crowd I was in and back to our table.

Maria looked up at me with a shocked expression. “How are you not even arrested right now?”

“Beats me,” I muttered, sitting down and leaning against Jack for support. 

Ten stared at me in awe. “Who are you and what did you do to Ellie?” 

“Look, that fucker had it coming,” I replied, trying not to flinch at the heated stares being made in my direction. “I’m just lucky security didn’t get involved, you know?” 

“You and me both,” Maria muttered, “I just hope that they leave us alone after this. If he meant want you said, you know? I don’t want you to get harassed for slapping him.”

“I’ll be fine,” I promised her.

She looked at me skeptically and muttered, “I hope so, Ellie. I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.”

What she didn’t know was that I already had. I was less concerned about the heated stares and glares I was getting, and more concerned about the consequences of slapping him so hard. Though he didn’t say how hard to slap me, a part of me felt like I’d stepped way out of line and that it was going to cost me an arm and a leg.

Not to mention I tried to verbally trap him more than once. I didn’t make this easy for him in the slightest. 

I finished up my meal and went to class without a hitch, managing to focus on my homework even as one too many students kept glancing at me like I was an alien. It made me feel a little bit proud of myself, and the rest of my afternoon was very productive from the positive vibes I got. I felt on top of the world for just a moment, like I could take on anything.

Upon opening my dorm door and stepping in, I was shoved into the living room and knew all at once that I was completely and utterly fucked. I turned to face Chase, who clicked his tongue and said, “I don’t remember you saying you could use the act to chastise me.” Luke had followed him in, shutting the door and locking it.

After setting my bookbag down, I cleared my throat and raked my brown hair back. “I-I wasn’t sure what was convincing enough.”

“I’m sure you weren’t,” he replied, rubbing his cheek as he glared at me, “but good girls don’t hit or corner their Masters like that, now do they? This calls for punishment.”

The grin that appeared on Luke’s face terrified me, but I held my ground. “That isn’t fair.”

“Rarely is life fair,” Luke drawled, taking his belt off. “How hard was that smack?”

Chase made a thoughtful face. “I’d say, oh…ten slaps on the ass. Be a good Puppy and put your hands on the wall.”

“But-!”

“Now!” Chase snapped, lowering his hand. “Or, I can take your virginity right here and now. It’s your choice, Puppy.”

It was fucked up and unfair. But I knew the consequences of hitting hard before I even finished my classes. “Okay. So…just…” I turned and raised my hands to the wall near the dinner table, placing them and waiting. I then gasped as Luke put his hands on my jeans, unbuttoning them. “Wait-!”

“Be still,” Luke murmured against my ear, humming in satisfaction as my pants fell to my ankles, followed by my panties. “Just like this. I’d take a deep breath.” He then backed up and I heard nothing at first. My body then arched as his belt contacted my ass. “Count!”

“One,” I cried out, gasping in pain when his belt hit my ass again. “Two! Three! Ahn, four!” When the belt hit me the fifth time, I was struggling to keep from crying. “Five! Six! Fuck, Seven! Eight!” I was practically jumping as my ass throbbed in pain, whimpering loudly when Luke hit me again. “Nine!” The last one hit the hardest and I almost caved as I whimpered, “Ten!”

My ass twitched in pain as I struggled to keep on my feet. Luke then grabbed my hair and yanked me back enough to face him. “Now, what did you get spanked for? Answer wrong and you’ll get another ten licks.”

No! “I-I hit Cha- Master too hard! I’m sorry, please don’t spank me anymore!”

Satisfied, Luke let go of my hair. I slid to my knees and cried, hating Chase more and more as the seconds rolled by. Luke had said something to Chase but I didn’t catch it, trying my hardest to pull myself together.

Someone loomed over me and I looked up to see Chase grab me by the arm and pull me to my feet, leading me to the nearest couch. “Sit on my lap and stick your ass out.”

I trembled but followed instructions once he sat down, preparing myself for more pain. Instead, he started to gently rub and soothe my butt. I couldn’t stop my sniffles or the tears from falling, so I allowed myself to cry in his chest. He was an asshole for making me feel weird, hurting me, and then taking care of me. I wish he’d just make up his mind already before I got a stupid case of Stockholm Syndrome!

“Your performance was great today,” he spoke up, using his other hand to rub the back of my head. “I’m in the slow but sure process of redemption.”

I half-listened to what he was saying, focusing on his heartbeat as I tried to ignore how nice it felt to be held the way he was holding me. Luke had sat down on one of the nearby chairs, messing with his phone even though his eyes would occasionally flicker over to me. Our eyes locked once, and he smirked in response. I turned away from him and exhaled, relishing in Chase’s temporary softness again.

“Um…Ellie?”

I barely heard him, opening my eyes to look up at him. “What?”

He stared at me for a long moment with an unreadable expression before sighing and closing his eyes. “Never mind.” I was curious about what he wanted to say, but it seemed like he was resigned with going quiet. I took advantage of his temporary resignation from being an asshole and curled into him, not caring if the lower half of my body was exposed to him or to Luke.

I hadn’t intended to, but when I opened my eyes again, I had fallen asleep and neither of them was in my room. Somehow, they’d managed to put my underwear back on at least, and a blanket had slipped over me. I sat up and groaned, my butt still feeling sore from the spanking Luke had given me.

My phone was sitting on the coffee table, so I reached over from the green couch and picked it up, frowning as I saw that a text came from Chase. It read:

_ “You gotta stop sleeping on me, it’s getting really old, really quick. See you tomorrow.” _

A part of me should’ve been annoyed or even fearful of his text, but somehow, I felt happiness from it? God, either he was working his magic on me and I was enjoying the company of an asshole, or a certain someone couldn’t decide if they hated me or not. I wish he’d figure out which was what and tell me already!

I spent the rest of my night making dinner and chatting with friends before getting a little work done. I’d figured that I wouldn’t be seeing any of the boys anymore today, but a knock on the door had told me otherwise. I approached the door and asked, “Who is it?”

No answer for a moment. He then spoke up. “Luke. Can you let me in for a sec?”

Honestly, I didn’t want to, but just as I wasn’t allowed to deny Chase, I wasn’t allowed to deny any of his friends either. I opened up the door and watched as he walked in. “Um…what’s up?” I asked awkwardly. He was the one to beat my ass with a belt after all; I didn’t know how to feel with the guy.

Luke turned to me, dressed in a baggy t-shirt and shorts; a vast difference compared to the skin-tight t-shirt and tight jeans he wore earlier. “Sorry if I hit too hard earlier,” He said, rubbing the back of his head. “I forgot that you were a novice and when you started crying…”

Fuck, I was in dangerous territory. I wanted to tear him a new one, but he was still one of my Masters. “It’s okay,” I muttered, hugging myself. It really wasn’t, but the sooner he left, the better.

“I do mean it,” he said. “Even if you aren’t willing, there’s a way to do this shit, and what I did earlier ain’t it.” I could tell he was sincere. He looked almost bothered to be standing in front of me. I wanted to comfort him but at the same time, he deserved to be troubled. None of what he or the others were doing to be was okay.

“As I said, it’s fine.” I was about to tell him to leave, but Luke approached me and gripped my shoulders, kissing my jaw gently.

“Don’t lie to me,” he demanded, staring directly into my eyes. “Don’t.” He then let my arms go and backed off. “Sorry…look, I’m gonna let you rest for the night. Goodnight.” Before I could even kick him out properly, he opened the door and left, shutting it behind him.

Luke left me bewildered, hurt, and angry. ‘At least he was being honest,’ I thought with a sigh. Goddamn it, what was it with these assholes going back and forth with how they felt about me? They could at least act like they want to stay cruel! I didn’t ask for rich psychologically damaged assholes to come in and make my life more confusing!

“I’m going to bed,” I said to no one in particular. Fuck homework, I was giving up.


	3. Honey and Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like a little honey with my...tea. Yeah.

Tuesday was difficult for me to endure; some students didn’t like that I slapped Chase and made it very clear, while others did and continued to congratulate me for it. It was almost worth getting spanked. Almost. 

Chase kept to his word and played along, apologizing to a couple of people he’d harassed in the past and basically paying a few of them off to make sure they really did forgive him.

It almost sickened me how he was playing so many people, but I was too stuck to do anything about it. If people stopped fearing or hating him, they’d go back to loving him, and I was fucking sure he’d love that. This also meant that his goons would be forgiven too, in the long run. What great news for them!

Meanwhile, I was going to be used as a cum dispenser for them and their little puppet to tug around as they pleased. They were assholes, a lot of them, and I needed to get some protection going on before one of them got me pregnant. It was only a matter of time before Chase decided that I was taking too long in giving him what he wanted: my virginity.

Thankfully, I had a relaxing evening and was able to focus on my homework and get a lot done before midnight hit. It was a good idea to get it done when I did, because a little after midnight, I’d gotten a knock on my door and opened it to find Mason leaning against the doorway. “…Hi.” What exactly was I supposed to say to this creep?

“Can I come in?” he asked, for once in his life looking disheveled and distressed. His long black hair was tied into a loose ponytail and he was dressed in a black undershirt and baggy blue sweatpants.

“Sure, I muttered, stepping to the side. Was it going to be a regular thing for them to visit me after hours? “Um…” What the fuck was I supposed to call him?

“Just Mason right now,” he said as if he’d just read my mind, walking inside. “I’m not here to fuck you or anything if that’s what you think.” I shut the door behind him and glanced at him warily. If he didn’t want me then what did he want? He glanced around and sighed softly.

“Are you okay?” Seriously, was he alright? He looked restless as if he’d just woken up. It wasn’t quite midnight and I wasn’t an early sleeper, but it shouldn’t have surprised me that some people found the time to go to bed at a decent hour. He didn’t say anything to me, instead of sitting down on my couch and lifting his knee to rest his head on it. “Okay…I’ll make some tea.”

Mason wasn’t willing to talk to me, which was fine, but I felt the urge to do something to help him. I pulled down a box and put the teapot on after making sure there was still water in there. “Jasmine or…chamomile…” I glanced in Mason’s direction and sighed, figuring that he wasn’t going to give me an answer. Figures.

I chose jasmine and pulled down two cups, sucking in air sharply as a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me. “What are you doing, fatty?” Mason muttered, resting his chin on my head. My eyebrow twitched but I ignored the nickname.

“I’m making relaxing tea for us,” I said, twitching as he grabbed and kneaded my sides. “D-Do you need something?”

He turned me around and plucked the box from my hand. “How do I know you’re not trying to poison me?” he countered. I raised my eyebrows at his accusation. That went from a two to a fifty real fucking fast!

“Why would I poison you?”

“To get back at us for making you our fat Lil’ puppy,” he sneered, pinning me against the counter. I tried not to wince, ignoring the pain that came from the counter digging into my flesh.

It was tempting to make him drowsy as fuck, but I wasn’t that kind of person. Instead, I placed my hands on his shoulders to make some distance between us. “I’m not a murderer, I’m in college for social work, not for assassination,” I told him, taking note of the bags under his eyes.

“Sure,” he drawled, leaning in and resting his forehead on mine. “Liar.”

I huffed and muttered, “Then make it yourself and I’ll take the first drink.” Either this guy was delusional, or he had serious trust issues. If the latter was the case, then why the hell was he in my room? Still, the idea seemed to satisfy him. He got off me and opened the package of Jasmine tea, glancing at me more than once as he took two tea bags out and plopped one into each cup.

Watching him wander around in the kitchen and making tea was…weird. I’d never dated anyone before, so I didn’t have a guy, gal or otherwise wandering around my home or dorm. Mason grabbed the honey from the counter and glanced at me with a smirk. “Piggy’s got a stash.”

I ignored the name and shrugged. It took me years to finally look at myself in a better light and I was not about to let this asshole tear it all down! “Honey’s good for tea, toast, you name it.”

“I’m sure,” he replied, giving it a long look. He then glanced at me and approached me, tugging at the collar of my undershirt. “I’m hungry.”

“What-!” I almost shrieked when he pulled it down, exposing my breasts to him, “-what are you doing?!”

“Quiet,” he hissed, grabbing one of my breasts and kneading it. “I don’t know how you lug yourself around so much. So much fat skin is bad for you.” I opened my mouth to speak but was caught by his lips instead. He kissed me almost violently, pushing me against the counter’s edge again as he kneaded my breast and played with my nipple.

We kept at this for almost a minute before he pulled back, leaving me breathless as he popped the lid to the honey open. He tilted it and watched as the honey drizzled out onto my breasts. I shivered as the stuff dripped down and made my tits sticky. Mason didn’t let any of it hit the floor as he knelt and started to lap at my breasts. I stayed still, shivering as he dragged his tongue over my nipples and cleaned up the mess he made.

He then latched onto a nipple and sucked hard, playing with the other one with his fingers. My legs quivered as my hands found and latched on to the counter. I didn’t want to feel horny, but his lips and tongue and teeth felt too fucking good. “Mason,” I whimpered, gasping loudly when he sucked on my nipple even harder.

“Piggy tits,” he grumbled against my breast, pulling back only to give my other breast the same treatment. “These Ds?” I was growing damp below, nodding and quivering as the bastard made my nipples extra sensitive. He then pulled away and rose, devouring my mouth with his. I grabbed his shirt, scratching his skin with how hard I was gripping him.

Mason pulled back and took a deep breath, fingers digging into my shoulders as he seemed to be centering himself. It almost seemed like he was a wild animal, but my mind was too foggy to think about it too hard. He let go of my shoulders and lifted my undershirt. “Sorry,” he muttered, not facing me directly.

Sorry? Jeez, I was starting to think that all of them were bipolar, had to be. “It’s fine,” I said, gulping as my cheeks warmed up. My body was slowly getting used to being toyed with, though it hated being left alone after getting so aroused. “Why do you call me fatty?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, but he didn’t seem to mind it.

“Because it’s what you are.” He gave me a ghost of a smile, turning off the stove when the teapot started to whistle. “I like seeing you flinch when I say it.”

Rude. “Can you stop it?” Was his name-calling really getting to me? I shouldn’t even care what any of them had to think, Mason especially!

“Why?”

“Because it hurts,” I replied, staring at him like he was nuts. “Fuck me, sure I guess, but really? Do you have to call me fat?”

Mason poured water into the teacups, glancing at me before setting the pot down, motioning for me to get closer. I heeded him and approached the stove, holding out my hands as he passed me a cup. “Maybe I should just call you Piggy.”

Chase was already calling me Puppy and a part of me wished that Mason would just latch onto that instead of making fun of my fat. “Do what you want,” was all I could say.

“Hmm…” He turned to me, leaning in and kissing my forehead. “You’re fun to kiss, fun to wrap my hands around. So much fat…it makes you a stuffed animal.”

Great, so he was in _ fat _ uated with my weight. I sighed softly, ignoring the fluttering my heart gave when he kissed my forehead. “You’re strange,” I muttered, sipping my tea carefully. Mason merely grunted at my accusation and sipped his tea instead. We stayed in the kitchen as we finished our drinks. He finished his cup before I did and set it on the counter.

I waited to see if he’d do anything else, but it seemed like he was done for the night. Mason turned to me and twirled a strand of hair around his finger. “You should wear undershirts more…your skin is nice.” I didn’t know what to say so I didn’t say anything, allowing him to mess with my hair. God, Mason was so strange and weird. Eventually, he pulled away and rubbed the back of his neck. “I should go.”

“Okay,” I replied, unsure of why he wanted to come over in the first place. “Sorry if I didn’t help.”

“You did.” It almost seemed like he smiled, but it disappeared before I could verify. He turned and walked away, leaving my dorm and me to myself. I shivered and bit my swollen lip. Fuck, was it bad to be crushing on one of my harassers? It was way too late to be thinking about that kind of mess…again.

“Why do they always pull this bullshit at night?” I muttered, rubbing my forehead in exasperation. Friday couldn’t come soon enough.

**-**

A part of my mind warned me that Mason would pretend that the night before never happened, and I was right. He pretended that everything was the same and called me “Fatty” at least six different times in the day. Thankfully, the boys left me to just exist for a moment, so I spent time with my friends and got some homework done ahead of time.

Once the afternoon classes ended, I’d made my way back to the apartments and checked on the mailbox. The boys were hanging out in the lounge our dorm had, chatting and being friendlier than I ever recall them being. I almost smiled; it had only been two days since I slapped Chase, but it had already relaxed some of the students. At least I was useful for something.

I didn’t bother them and went into the mailroom to check my box. Nothing…again. I pulled out my phone and called my mom’s number. “Hey mom…no, no I’m okay…um, have-have you heard from gran...? Oh…okay, thanks…. No, I’m fine, thank you…I’ll call you later, bye.” I hung up and bit my lip. My grandparents were fine, I was sure. They had a nasty habit of not relying on electronics, despite my parents trying to get them to see reason.

“Problem?”

My body flinched and turned to Chase. “No, I’m fine,” I said, not bothering to hide my scowl. He was wearing baggy blue jeans and a black t-shirt with white sneakers. Compared to my black shorts, blue undershirt, and brown slip-on shoes, he was dressed like an actual student. Everything he wore looked crisp and new; his shirt didn’t even bother to look wrinkled.

“You don’t look fine,” he stated with a shrug of his shoulders, openly staring at me.

His head looked like a mighty nice target for my phone. “No, I’m not fine, but it doesn’t matter, does it?”

Chase shot me a warning glare before relaxing his face. “No, I guess not. We need to talk.”

“Now?” I raised an eyebrow, idly wondering if talking somewhere public was a bad idea or not.

“Might as well,” He said with a lower tone, glancing down the halls and hearing nothing. “I’ll be quick. We start the second phase soon. I dunno the details yet, but I’m thinking a little rescuing is in order.” His smirk made me feel sick to my stomach. “Maybe you twist your ankle from being clumsy, or some dude breaks your heart.”

Great, now my love life was being brought into the mix? “I’m not with anyone,” I informed him. This made him pause and stare at me.

“What?”

Was it that hard to believe? Hell, he made fun of the lack of a man in my life a few days ago. Did he really think he was just fucking around? “If I was with someone, I wouldn’t be doing…well yeah. I don’t have time for men, college is too important to me.” I left it at that; the other big reason I didn’t get with anyone was that evidently a lot of guys didn’t like to get with overweight women who didn’t have the motivation to get skinnier, which was an issue I had. I just didn’t care enough to lose weight.

Chase gave me a surprised look. “You’re serious.”

I was exasperated with this idiot. “Yes, I’m serious, have you looked at my weight lately? Whatever, I’ll figure something out.” I shoved my keys back in my shorts’ pocket and gasped when Chase got in my personal space, grabbing my wrist as he pulled me close and kept me there. My eyes darted around quickly; the mailroom had no windows and one door that could’ve opened at any moment. “Chase, hold on.”

“Be still, Puppy.” He leaned in, kissing up and down my neck and earning my fidgeting in return. He then backed off and smirked. “You don’t know how to follow instructions, do you?”

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, staring at the ground. Ugh, what an asshole. He chuckled and let my wrist go, turning around to leave the mailroom. I scowled and looked up at him. “Why?”

“Why what?” he asked, turning to look at me.

“I don’t get it.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “You could get any woman in your pocket, someone with beauty or smarts, someone that isn’t me. If all I do is piss you off, then why?”

Chase looked as if he was considering my question. He then chuckled and said, “You don’t have anything unique about you, but I can tell when someone is a hero type. You had friends to protect, and I respect that.”

“You mean you exploit it,” I corrected, frowning.

“Whatever makes you feel better,” he drawled, smiling at me darkly. “Think of it as a game. You play your pieces right; you win and get to walk home free.”

Sweet Jesus, I wanted to hit him with my shoes. “You’re sick,” I hissed.

“Maybe,” he drawled, “but I’m having a lot of fun right now, Puppy.” He winked at me. “Be seeing you, Ellie.” He turned and walked out of the mailroom, giving me no time to refute or make him mad. I muffled my squeals and kicked the trash can in the room, watching as it wobbled and struggled to keep upright. If that wasn’t me then goddamn it, I didn’t know what was.

**-**

Out of worry for my grandparents and the exasperation of being in the same building as Chase and his asshole friends, I tied my hair into a ponytail and made my way over to Maria’s dorm to grab a couple of stamps. Granted, I would’ve spent a couple of dollars to buy some at the college bookstore, but it was a nice excuse to see a familiar happy face.

I wanted to stay longer than I had, but I still had homework that needed to be done before the day was over entirely. On my way back from her apartment, I stopped by the park for a moment. I still had half a mile’s walk, but I didn’t have any issues with walking that distance.

The bench creaked as I sat down, listening to the birds and distant chatter of students. It was relaxing, just watching time fly by without having to rush anywhere. The park was lush with flowers and greens and had heavy scents of pine and honeysuckle. I exhaled and closed my eyes, enjoying the cool wind as it hit my body.

For a moment, I forgot about the mess that was now my…love life? Was it even proper to call it that? There was no love behind the boys’ intentions. I was just a pawn, a plaything that they could call upon whenever they felt like it.

No, no, don’t think about them. I shook my head and opened my eyes, going back to enjoying how lively and relaxing the park was. I never had much time to stop and sit; college was demanding and there was always something due. _ ‘Such is the life of a full-time student,’  _ I mused to myself, crossing my legs. My gaze flew over most of the park and I saw some students gaming, others exercising, and a few couples enjoying time together.

It was peaceful. Almost peaceful.

Laughter caught my ears and I glanced to the left, spotting a group of young men running track down the sidewalk. They had turned toward the water fountain nearby before finally coming to a stop in the empty patch of grass nearby. I smiled a little, watching them laugh and catch their breath. One of them hunched over, struggling to catch his breath while another slapped his back and laughed, causing the first to grunt and push him to the ground.

I started to laugh but stopped when I realized who they were. One had tattoos down his arms to his wrists and the other had long black hair tied back into a ponytail. Mason and Luke ran track? Since when? Great, so much for a relaxing afternoon. Mason spotted me and smiled as he caught his breath, hitting the back of his hand against Luke’s shoulder as he sat up. Luke gave a half-smile, but it almost seemed awkward.

_ ‘That’s my cue to leave!’ _ I gave an awkward smile and got up to go, trying my best not to up and run away. I probably should’ve, because my shoulder was tapped moments later. I turned and almost scowled at Luke’s face. “Yes?”

“What, a fella can’t say hi?” Luke grinned, placing his hands on his hips. He was still catching his breath, sweat clinging to his tattoos and his black undershirt. His bangs were plastered on his forehead and his chest was heaving heavily.

“Sorry,” I muttered, wringing my hands over my ponytail nervously.

His expression softened. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

Hah! I snorted and met his eyes with mine. “I’m not afraid. I’m just…being careful. Yeah, we’ll call it that.” I didn’t think I needed to elaborate. “You run track?”

“Mason and I, yeah. I’ve been at it for longer than he has.” He turned his head to glance at Mason, who was sprawled along the grass and catching his breath. He looked in pain and it amused the shit out of me. “Idiot’s got a way or two to go before he catches up, but he’s getting there. What about you?” Luke turned back to face me. “What’s got you out and about?”

“Stamps from Maria,” I replied, not bothering to keep the bitterness from my voice. I still hadn’t forgiven him for threatening to hurt Maria. Hell, I hadn’t forgiven him for shit.

He caught the tone and sighed, crossing his arms loosely. “Ellie, look-”

“This is fine,” I chirped abruptly, turning to walk away. I then yelped, jaw-dropping open as something that smelled like fruit juice splashed in my face. It was cold and sticky, and I had to shut my eyes to keep from getting them sprayed too.

“Oops, I’m sorry!” This one girl spoke, trying and failing to sound desperate. Another girl giggled before gasping. I had no idea what the fuck was going on and proceeded to wipe my face.

“Jessie, what the fuck are you doing here?” Luke’s voice had turned cold in an instant, a far cry from how he was just speaking to me moments ago.

“I didn’t know you’d be here on a track day,” the girl spoke innocently. My eyes were clean enough that I could open them, and they rested upon a girl with dark brown hair tied into a ponytail. She was a model; thick thighs, perfect bust, an absolute beauty…who was holding an empty coffee cup.

“As if I have time for your excuses,” he sneered.

“Luke, sweetie, don’t be mean,” a blonde pouted, glancing over at me with disgust. “She was probably saving you from wasted time.”

I wasn’t in high school anymore. I could handle the throwing of juice and insults. I was better than whatever they thought I was, and I knew it. But I couldn’t help the anger boiling inside. Bad enough I had to deal with it from Chase’s crew, but now I had to put up with the assholes whom I’ve never met in my life?!

Part-time asshole and part-time runner glared at the two of them. “I think it’s up to me to figure out what time I’m wasting, and I can tell you the fuck now, it’s being wasted on plastic and dyed hair.”

“Baby, are you still mad at me for fucking that other guy?” The brunette practically threw herself in his sweaty arms. “C’mon, you know it wasn’t serious. Get back with me already, I miss you!”

He shoved her off so hard that I thought she was going to fall from stumbling in her white heels. “I don’t touch rotten meat. Fuck off already!”

A part of me knew that I should’ve walked away at that point, but I couldn’t help but find some glee in watching him make her angry and desperate. She made sputtering noises and glared at him before turning to me. “So, you’re fucking him now, huh? Wait until he squeezes the life out of your stupid fat body, bitch.”

“Oh, save it,” I groaned and turned around, looking down at my blue shirt and sighing. She was shouting more, but I ignored it. If I was going to get the stains out, then I needed to wash my shirt quickly. Besides, Luke could handle that mess since it was his!

I couldn’t very well walk half a mile to get the undershirt clean, so I cut through the woods and stopped at a small stream nearby. Not many people cared to go so out of the way to take in the peaceful atmosphere, and despite me walking along the stream, I couldn’t find peace in it either.

“Seriously?” I muttered to myself as I slipped my undershirt off. Did they think I was some kind of rival or threat? I wanted nothing to do with Luke! My body wobbled as I crouched and leaned over the stream, dunking my undershirt in it with the hopes that I’d get most of the stains out. Whatever drink it was had some heavy dye to it and I could already tell that it was a "fruitless" venture to come to the stream.

After standing and taking a deep breath, I squeezed the undershirt out and slipped it back on, pausing when I noticed the figure standing nearby. “Luke?”

He waved awkwardly, stepping over a log and clearing his throat as he scratched the back of his head. “Hey.”

“What is it?” I asked, trying not to sound impatient. I just wanted to go home already!

“You ran off before I could check on you?” His face winced as he realized just how stupid he sounded.

“I’m fine,” I spoke tightly, shivering from how cool the undershirt had become. “Look, I don’t want any trouble so if you want your dick sucked or whatever, at least let me get home first.”

He shook his head. “That’s not why I came here.”

Yes, because that made sense. “Thanks for checking up on me,” I said, hoping that the sweetness in my voice would convince him to leave me alone.

“I, uh, fuck.” He closed his eyes and opened them again. “This is hard. Sorry. Look, I wanted to make sure you were okay, I mean that.” I’m sure he did mean it, but after the shit that he pulled, he wasn’t really expecting me to just smile and nod, was he? “I didn’t think talking to you would bring that kind of mess on you.”

This man was serious. I wanted to laugh; did it matter? I was a piece of meat, he treated me like one, but now he wants to play nice. “Is this about you spanking me again?” I got no answer and silver eyes that immediately broke contact with me. Bingo. “Okay, wow.” I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully to keep from angering him. 

“You chose to-to call me names and blackmail me. You’ve made it pretty clear how our relationship is going to be, so unless you want to take back everything and convince Chase to drop this charade, then your apology means nothing to me.”

Luke chuckled softly and raised an eyebrow. “If that’s how it’s going to be, then I guess I can’t ask for forgiveness.” He approached me and I was tempted to step back, but I stayed in place. His hand came up and gripped my ponytail, using it to tug me close. “I don’t think I could give up someone so cute and angry.”

He dipped his head and kissed me deeply, leaving no room for argument. My hands reached out, gripping his shirt tightly as his lips crashed against mine repeatedly. My stomach pressed against him before my breasts could, but he didn’t let it stop him from devouring me. 

My heart slammed against its boney cage, beating against his chest as Luke kept me as close as he could. His hands grabbed my chubby waist, kneading my fat as he finally pulled away, nibbling and pulling at my swollen lip. “No, I don’t think I want to let you go so soon,” he breathed against my lips. 

“You’re an ass,” I whispered, trying to ignore the way my legs shook as I looked away from him. The scent from his sweat was hitting me hard. I wanted to recoil, but I almost felt drugged. I really needed to stop gripping these guys’ shirts as if I wanted them closer. I wanted to push them away!

“I know,” he replied, kissing the side of my head. “Sorry for being selfish.”

“Apology not accepted,” I hissed, hating how my cheeks warmed from the kiss. It felt so gentle; the way his lips grazed my ears, but it wasn’t coming from a gentleman.

The asshole grinned and backed up. “I know. I need to go shower…unless you want to join me.”

“No thanks.” I stalked past him. “Don’t bother walking with me, either run ahead or lag behind!”

He chuckled. “Yes Ma’am!”

**-**

I shut my phone off for the rest of the evening and sent out another letter to my grandparents. I wanted to wind down but there were deadlines for some of my homework so I worked on it past sunset. I made myself a nice meal before cleaning after myself for once in my life. 

By the time my fingers touched the thread of my bedsheets, a knock rang out. “These men are going to drive me nuts,” I hissed, approaching the front door. “Who is it?”

“Mason.”

Again? I opened up the door and stepped to the side. “Hey, Mason.”

“Hey Piggy,” he grunted as he stepped through. My eyes wandered down and noticed that he’d brought a novel with him. Huh, alright then.

“It’s…ugh, never mind.” I needed to get over that nickname eventually. I shut and locked my door, turning to watch him get comfy on the couch. “I’ll make us some tea.”

He grunted again and said nothing. Honestly, did he have a bigger vocabulary than grunts and idiotic nicknames? I sighed loudly and went into the kitchen, putting on the teapot as I glanced at the clock. It wasn’t too late, but it was late enough that I just wanted to get in bed and call it a day. I half expected for Mason to get up, but I turned around and found that he’d curled up with the lamp turned on. The poor bastard looked tired as hell.

Was I supposed to pity him?

We said nothing to each other as the water in the pot slowly came to a boil. When it started to whistle, I turned it off and glanced at Mason expectedly. Did he want to make it again or…?

His blue eyes flickered over to me before he stood up and approached the kitchen. “It’s finished?”

“Yep,” I muttered, stepping to the side. “The tea bags are in the middle cabinet.”

Mason said nothing as he opened it out and pulled out the Jasmine tea, plopping a bag in his cup and pouring the water into it. “Do you want a cup?”

“Not tonight, thanks,” I replied, watching him wearily.

“If you’re sure.” He put the pot down and lifted the cup, blowing on it softly as he rested against the counter.

I gnawed on the side of my cheek before letting my curiosity take the wheel. “So…do you…have nightmares or is it insomnia?” When he said nothing, I slouched and sighed. “Alright, don’t tell me. What are you reading then?” He just stared at me as if I was asking intrusive questions. Hilarious, considering he made me get him off the other night.

He licked his lips before clearing his throat quietly. “…Wrinkle in Time.”

My eyebrows raised. I didn’t take him for a fiction reader. “I’ve read it once but I don’t remember it. Is it any good?”

“Mmm, yeah.” He winced, probably realizing that the tea was too hot for him to sip yet. He set it on the counter and sighed, closing his eyes. “Nightmares. Old tricks aren’t working anymore.”

“What kind of nightmares are keeping you up?” I asked, reaching over to touch his shoulder. He flinched away from me and glared at me as if I’d insulted him. “What?” He turned and I gulped, fidgeting when I realized I couldn’t back up from the approaching goth boy. “Uh…” Was he going to do a repeat of yesterday?

I almost shrieked when he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close to him. His body was warm, but lord I could’ve almost mistaken him for a vampire. He was pretty good at playing the part. I could’ve pushed him away, but the hug was…nice? Goddamn it, couldn’t any of them decide if they wanted to treat me right or wrong? They couldn’t have both! “Um…Mason?”

“Be quiet.” He rested his face on my hair, holding me closer. Admittedly…he gave nice hugs. His arms were firm. Not reassuring or securing but…nice. They wrapped around my waist which surprised the shit out of me since I wasn’t the skinniest person in the world. 

I gave up and leaned onto him, not bothering to give him a time limit before he had to get off me. I was still his, after all.

We probably stood there for ten minutes before he finally pulled away. I felt dazed, partially due to sleepiness and partially due to how good of a hugger he was. Mason picked up his cup and sipped at the tea before setting it down again. “…Do you have a blanket I could use?”

Well fuck me, he wanted to stay over?! “Uh, s-sure. One sec.” I walked around him and went into my room, grabbing the blanket that I had sitting on my chair. It wasn’t too long, but it was probably enough for him. Since the couch had cushions, he could just use those since I only had two. I didn’t need them smelling like him.

Once I walked back into the living room, I found him back on the couch with the book flipped open. His tea was sitting beside him and his hair was pushed back behind his shoulders, though he missed a few strands. He looked…content on my couch. Well maybe not content, but he didn’t look as restless anymore. “Here,” I said, passing him the blanket.

He took it and glanced up at me. He was reading into me too much; if I really wanted to hurt him, I would’ve. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” I replied, mildly surprised that he didn’t call me “Piggy” again. “Um…if you need anything, I’ll be in my bedroom.” He simply nodded and kept reading the book. I held back a sigh and went back to my bedroom, finally slipping under the sheets and closing my eyes. It almost seemed like Mason and Luke didn’t want me for sexual reasons, only Chase.

I probably couldn’t provide whatever they wanted from me. Chase, sure, he wanted my body. But the other two…ugh. And what the fuck did Danny want? Aside from using my mouth as a fuck hole, he’s barely interacted with me. The more I tried to understand these assholes, the more confused I became.

Granted, I’d only begun to deal with them; only a few days had passed since I’d made that deal with them. I had no idea what they had in store for me or if Chase would take my virginity, but if I could continue to hold it over his head like a bone, I’d get at least some satisfaction. But I wouldn’t lie. The hugs, the kisses, the odd gestures of concern…they were all getting to me.

That in and of itself was a big problem.


	4. Study Session or Bust...A Nut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Studying? Where? Pretty sure I left my notes between your legs~

My eyes opened to an empty home. Mason had folded the blanket and set it on the couch from what I saw, and the cup he used was clean. Huh, he was sweet to clean up after himself at least. I had no time to linger; as much as I wanted to, I still had classes to deal with. With Spring Break around the corner, I had no freaking time to think about much else!

Chase and his lackeys took way too much of my time as it was.

After dressing in a lavender shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of black sneakers, I was ready to go. I shoved a sandwich in my mouth and ran like the anime girl I knew I was meant to be. Algebra class was first on the list and I fucking hated it. I wasn’t the only one that was having a hard time; Luke was silently losing his shit behind me.

Taking my biology and literature classes weren’t easy either. I took five classes in total for my first semester and only had to take one of them once a week, but the rest was time-consuming. Danny shared those classes with me and in one of them we ended up pairing up together to figure something out. Danny was completely focused on the task and made no odd glances or weird smiles at me. I should’ve figured that he would’ve acted the way he did, but it was still surprising. Sometimes it was hard to imagine that the guys were vastly different from each other.

I was stumbling to my dorm by the time my classes ended. Normally I stopped to grab a bite to eat with my friends, but even they were done with everything. When I last saw Ten, he was ready to pull his purple dreadlocks out. “What do you mean seventy-two?! I studied for that, I knew all the fuckin’ answers, what is this shit?!”

I wanted to comfort him, but I was annoyed with my own test scores recently. Jack patted my back and said, “Don’t worry about it, Ellie. The school system doesn’t tell us who’s smart and who ain’t.” 

It was after this that he almost lost his shit over a nearly failed test.

It was easy to see on the faces of strangers that college was kicking their ass. I didn’t blame anyone for being cranky. By the time I made it to the door, I groaned and slid to the floor, sitting beside my door and staring at the hallway wall. For a moment, I found temporary peace with the vibrations from the lights on the wall.

My breaths were slow and easy as I relaxed, hearing distant chatter from other students. The elevator dinged around the corner and I opened my eyes and watched as the boy band wannabes lugged their way into the hall. They were laughing and talking, save Mason who looked worse for wear. They spotted me and I felt awkward, raising a hand weakly before plopping it back into my lap. Fuck, I hated classes…and tests…and everything about college.

Exhaustion was seeping over me in waves and I could feel my stress levels elevating upon seeing Chase and his crew. Luke nimbly walked around me. “Ellie, honey!” He chirped. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks for the obvious observation,” I muttered, leaning forward to get up only to sit back down. Nah, this was my place of existence now. Chase snorted but didn’t say anything to me, walking around me with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

Danny smiled down at me kindly. “Bad day?”

“Tests are looking less than okay.” I shrugged, raising an eyebrow at Mason as he plopped down beside me before looking back up at Danny. “Thanks for helping me with that hypothesis, by the way, my ass was stumped as fuck.”

“No problem,” He replied, tiptoeing over me. “Try to eat something, you might feel better after.”

“Will do,” I replied, watching as he turned the corner. Luke and Chase lived close, but I still didn’t know where Danny or Mason lived. Speaking of the creepy bastard, I glanced over and found him with his eyes closed. He had his leg propped up as an arm hung over his knee. He looked relaxed, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if his mind was in turmoil over something. “Err…you sleep…okay? My couch isn’t that great so…”

Mason shrugged and opened an eye. “I slept fine. Thanks.”

I shifted a little before sighing softly. “No problem.”

Neither of us said anything to each other, but I could tell that Mason was right where he wanted to be. I appreciated his silence; most of the day had been stressful and damn near overwhelming. We sat there for a few more minutes before I grunted and started to get up. “I need to eat,” I grumbled.

“Don’t consume all of your kitchen, Piggy,” Mason muttered, stifling a yawn.

I slouched and stared death into him, unlocking my door and kicking my backpack inside. Was he trying to ruin my appetite? I shut the door and got to make a veggie burger with apple slices on the side instead of chips. After the nacho-nightmare I’d eaten some days ago, I’d been avoiding chips like the plague and munching on popcorn or carrot sticks.

My fingers grabbed a fictional book as I plopped onto the couch, eating lunch as I got to page ninety-seven in my book. “I wish I could slay evil demons with the brothers,” I mumbled to myself, nibbling on an apple. Ugh, it would’ve been nice to disappear to a place that focused more on getting things done instead of focusing on emotions, even if it put the brothers in distressing situations.

Six in the evening came around and the sun was just starting to lower when someone knocked on my door. I checked my texts to see if it was a buddy before getting up. “Who is it?”

“Yours truly.”

I bit back a groan and opened the door, looking up at Luke. “Yes?”

“Grab your backpack and come on,” he said before smirking and adding, “don’t forget the collar.”

I forced a smile and didn’t bother shutting the door, picking up the bag from where I’d left it on the ground, making sure to snatch my phone and turn off the lights. Wait, where’d I put the fucking collar! “One sec,” I muttered, dashing into my bedroom and almost tearing my bed and drawers apart trying to find it.

To my exasperation, it was sitting on the bathroom sink. I snatched up the purple collar, glancing at it and hating that it was in my favorite color. Part of me wondered if the color was chosen on purpose, or if they just found it at a fucking Spicy Topic. It did have a crescent moon at the center of it, giving me a hunch that they did.

Rich as hell and yet they couldn’t dish out enough cash to get a good collar? Fucking assholes.

“What’s up?” I asked, walking back into the living room, trying my hardest to get rid of the irritation on my face.

“Study session,” he replied, moving out of the way to let me get through. I made sure my door was locked before dragging my feet as we approached Chase’s door. I could’ve asked why he wanted me to join but said nothing as he pulled out his set of keys. Huh, I remembered Danny opening Chase’s door and recalled the set of keys in his hand. Did they all share keys to their homes? Just how much did they trust each other?

We walked in and, now that I had a chance to look around, took in full detail of his living room and kitchen. Chase had two black curving couches facing each other to the right of me, with a round coffee table in the middle. The couches looked sectional, but the middle piece was missing.

There was a large flat-screen television on the wall, game consoles set up on a small shelf, and a cabinet to the left of the television that had games, movies, and more. His carpet was black and just to the right of the door lie two drawers with whatever-the-fuck Chase had tossed in there.

The kitchen was nice and had a black and red theme to it, with some messy dishes in the sink and an open bag of chips sitting on the countertop.

Danny was sitting cross-legged on one of the couches while Mason was curled up on the other, reading what looked like a physics book. I didn’t have time to scan for Chase, jumping and yelping when Luke’s fingertips grazed my neck.

“Where’s that head of yours,” Luke teased, wrapping the collar around my neck and securing it. “You gotta start doing this on your own, you know,” he muttered, kissing the back of my head.

“Is the collar really necessary?” I asked, my cheeks warming as Luke’s fingers lingered on the back of my neck.

The bastard clicked his tongue and nudged me forward. “You know the rules,” he warned. I sighed and said nothing, considering where I wanted to sit. Not near Chase, that was for certain. I frowned and decided to sit next to Danny, yelping when Luke decided to smack my ass. I glared daggers at him but all he did was grin wide. “Nice ass.”

_ ‘Fucker,’ _ I mentally barked, biting my tongue to keep from actually saying it as I sat next to the dirty blonde.

Chase came into the living room as Luke settled down on the floor at the coffee table; they and the other two were dressed a lot more casually than I was used to. They all wore t-shirts though Mason chose to wear sweatpants, Danny favored yoga pants, and Luke and Chase were in shorts.

“Glad you could make it,” he said cheerfully, “now, let’s all suffer together.”

“Suffering doesn’t start simply because we move on to something else,” Mason drawled, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Chase.

“I thought Danny made the poems,” Chase muttered. He then shrugged and shot me a smile. “Welcome to Hell. Let’s begin.”

I shouldn’t have, I knew I shouldn’t have, but I fucking giggled at the idiocy coming off him in waves. It must’ve caught them off guard because all four of them were glancing at me. I cleared my mouth and shrugged, going through my backpack to pull out the needed books for homework. I’d bring out my laptop later, but I wanted to get the paper crap out of the way.

Mason got lost in his own world quickly while Danny was never pulled out of whatever he was doing on his tablet, and Luke had settled with working on whatever class he was taking. I focused on my humanities while Chase started to work on his laptop. Other than the lo-fi quietly playing in the background, everything stayed quiet for a while. We focused on our individual classes though at some point Luke had asked me for math assistance. I ended up checking his work more than once, comparing it to mine to make sure that I wasn’t fucking it up either.

After a while, I had to pull out my laptop and found myself frustrated very easily. “If I can’t see the right answer or get a proper reason why this was wrong, then what’s the point?”

“Oh fuck, you’re dealing with that assignment, aren’t you?” Luke asked.

“What project?” Danny inquired, glancing over at my homework. He then winced and said, “Yeaaah, good luck with that.”

“Fuck me,” I grumbled, moving on to the next question.

After that failure of an attempt to get my math done, I moved on to the fifth class, which was astrology. Why the fuck did I take that class again? After taking and almost failing that quiz too, I closed my laptop shut a little too loudly, jolting everyone out of their worlds. “Nope, that’s it. I give, I give up.” I got up and stumbled over Luke, allowing myself to plop onto the floor.

“Come on,” Luke urged, poking my foot. “You can’t just give up.”

“Watch me,” I snapped, curling up and crossing my arms. “I don’t even know why I decided to come to college. It’s a big waste of money on a waste of space.” What the hell? Even that sounded bad to my ears. I wasn’t a waste of space, I knew this, but it still felt that way at that moment.

I heard movement before looking up and seeing Danny crouching beside me, flashing a gentle smile. “Giving up so easily is tempting, but we have to get it done. Spring Break is right around the corner.” He reached out and rubbed the top of my head gently. I felt flustered and averted my gaze. 

A soft laugh escaped Danny’s lips. “You know, you’re not helping your case here.”

“Hmm?” I had no idea what he was talking about. All I knew was that his sweet actions calmed me a little.

“You’re letting me pet you,” he said in a lower tone, smirking softly as his fingers wrapped around my curls. “Are you sure you aren’t a puppy?”

Danny found himself on the ground as I shoved him off. “Puppy this,” I said with a grin, sitting up and watching his shocked expression. Oops! “Sorry,” I muttered, “did I hurt you?”

He shook his head and sat up, raking his dirty blond hair back. “No, I’m fine.”

I smiled and had planned to get up, but familiar tattooed arms wrapped around my waist. “No fair, find your own puppy,” Luke grumbled.

“Aren’t we sharing her?” Danny inquired, placing a hand on my thigh and dragging me back.

“Hey-!” I squeaked as Luke locked his arms firmly around my stomach. Danny looked annoyed for the first time in his life and moved closer. Christ, what was I, a toy?! “Don’t rip me apart please, I-I don’t think you can put me back together.”

“We could try,” Luke teased, leaning over and sticking his tongue out at Danny. “Sorry dude, you’re getting cucked.”

“Okay, that’s it.” He leaped for Luke, causing him to let me go. I rolled out of the way as they crashed and wrestled with each other. I watched them with a deadpan expression, glancing at Mason and Chase. Of course, the blonde idiot was amused with this, but Mason looked thoroughly annoyed. He wasn’t the only one, that much was certain. 

Danny and Luke were laughing and not expressing any real malicious intent as they rolled about. In the end though, Luke had Danny pinned to the ground. “Yield,” Luke bit out playfully.

“Never!” Danny struggled further even though he couldn’t focus enough due to his laughter.

“Idiots,” Mason muttered, going back to writing in his notebook.

I giggled and finally stood up, wiping myself down before glancing at Chase. He was staring at me way too long for it to be comfortable. “Uh…”

Chase smirked and leaned back. “I made you our  _ ‘Puppy’ _ , but I can see who the real dogs are. You need to calm the mutts down, Puppy, so we can focus on our homework.”

The fuck did that mean? I glanced at the two of them who were looking at me now. Fuck, this was awkward. “Like what?”

“God, you’re cute.” Luke got up and approached me, quick to cup my cheek. “How inexperienced are you?”

“Sex wasn’t on my list of things to do,” I muttered, blushing as his thumb stroked my cheek. I was so busy trying not to feel overwhelmed by Luke’s presence that I never noticed when Danny had made his way behind me, wrapping his arms around me this time and resting them on my thick waist.

“It is now,” he said, a promise in his tone as he kissed me roughly for a moment, pulling back to turn me around. Danny cupped my cheeks, rubbing them before kissing me softly. Danny was different in the way he handled me; his kisses were careful, and his tongue never pushed to invade my mouth. His hands moved down my arms, pulling me closer but never moving me crudely.

I moaned before I could stop myself, blushing and scowling at Danny when he gave me a knowing smile. “I think you liked that.”

“Shut up.” I hid my face in his chest, aware of his Luke’s hands kneading on my ass. The fact that Mason and Chase were watching us made things more awkward. “I feel awkward.” Sure, let’s be obvious now!

“You’re gonna be feeling something else real soon, Puppy,” Luke promised, brushing my shirt to the side and biting on my shoulder firmly. Danny continued to caress my cheeks and collarbone, kissing me and parts of my face softly. Luke kissed the back of my neck and my shoulders, hands slipping under my shirt and lifting it up.

Danny’s hands wandered down, tugging at my pants. I stayed still and shivered, watching as he tugged the lower half of my clothes off. A tug at the bra rendered me naked and nervous. Their hands and lips were everywhere, devouring, and groping me. My thighs clenched and my body warmed up. I should’ve been pushing them away, but Luke’s familiarity and Danny’s gentle touches were too good to pass up.

Luke’s lips reached the back of my neck again. “Comfortable yet?”

I laughed nervously. “I-I don’t know.”

“Hmm, then we’re not doing our job well enough.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me from Danny as he sat on the floor and leaned against the edge of the table. “Lean against me.” I did as he asked, resting my head against his shoulder as I leaned against his body. “Comfy?”

My head bobbed a little as my stomach felt fluttery, watching Danny get on his knees and get close to me. He kissed my knee before getting closer and kissing me. “You need to relax,” he whispered against my lips.

“Y-You have no idea how nerve-wracking this is, do you?” My lips quivered as I spoke, watched him through lidded eyes. My body was starting to tremble again, and Luke’s hands got to work, massaging my shoulders as he kissed the top of my head. It surprised me that he could hold me up with how much weight my body had.

“Relax,” Danny repeated, kissing my inner thigh and pushing my legs apart. “You’re too tense, Ellie, so I’m going to eat you out until you’re calm. Do you understand me?”

“W-What?”

Luke growled in my ear, nuzzling me. “Get comfy, Puppy.”

Danny smiled and lowered his head, kissing my stomach and slowly kissing his way lower. I tried not to whimper or show signs of weakness, but just like before, they were going past the limits of anything I was used to. Luke’s right hand got busy, grabbing my breast and kneading it just as Danny’s breath hit my inner thigh.

Though he barely had a beard there, his hair still gently scraped against my skin as he inched closer to my honeypot. He spread my lips and it struck me as to how wet I was from this. Luke started to focus on both my breasts, kneading them, and messing with my nipples. I tried to hold back my whines, but I couldn’t stop my body from arching into his hands.

My hips bucked when Danny finally kissed the sweet spot, lapping his tongue over my clit carefully, rubbing my thighs as he lapped at me gently. I could feel my pussy dampen from him and Luke working my body. “D-Danny,” I whimpered.

“Master, to you,” he mumbled against my skin, slipping his tongue inside me. When he wiggled it, I mewled and rolled my hips, gasping slowly as he ate me out. “Fuck, you taste fresh,” he spoke against my skin. My mouth couldn’t close as he dipped his tongue in and out, wiggling it all around my drenched pussy as if he were starved. My legs threatened to close him in as I arched repeatedly, unable to control my body’s movements.

“I’m getting lonely over here,” Luke groaned, grinding his erection against my ass. “Ugh, fuck this. Danny, get on your back.” Danny raised an eyebrow, not pulling away from me. “Just fucking do it, asshat,” Luke hissed.

He grunted and finally moved back. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to get mine,” Luke grated, lifting me and pushing me onto my knees. “Crawl over and sit on his face.”

I looked up at him, terrified. I was going to flatten the fuck out of him with my fat! “What if I-!”

“You’ll be fine,” Danny promised, reaching over and grabbing my hand. I looked back at him and bit my lower lip nervously. “I promise, you won’t hurt my face.” He chuckled, gently tugging me to him. “Now sit and let me finish.”

Danny’s cock was rock hard, and a depraved part of my head wanted to sit on that instead. I ignored it and instead let Danny lead me back to his face. I watched as Luke stood in front of Danny’s forehead and positioned myself over Danny’s head, gripping Luke’s thighs as I knew what he wanted me to do.

Luke lowered the band of his shorts and his cock sprung out, tapping my chin in the process. “Work that mouth of yours,” Luke muttered, caressing my lips. My tongue darted out before I could stop it, lapping at his fingers before kissing the tip of his dick. Danny got back to work, lapping at my lower lips and grabbing my ass with his hands. I whined, eyes darting over to Mason and Chase.

Both had their dicks out, stroking themselves as they watched me. It should’ve grossed me out, but my body grew hot and sensitive from it. I turned my head and started to suck Luke, wiggling my tongue as Danny continued to eat me out. Luke’s fingers wrapped around my hair, pushing me further down. I gagged but didn’t fight it, eyes looking up at Luke.  _ ‘Oh god!’  _ Seeing him in this angle was-!

Danny sucked at my clit and I cried out around Luke’s cock. He seemed to like it as he pumped his hips hard against my face. “Fuck, what a good Puppy. Suck this bone, Baby.” I was going to cum, oh my god I was gonna cum! Danny’s tongue stayed working, wrapping around my clit and sinking deep into my pink folds. My thighs trembled wildly as I neared, letting Luke move my head harder. He was almost violent about it, punching his dick into my throat as he panted.

Spit dribbled down my mouth and neck as I bobbed as much as I could, unable to keep my hips from rocking as Danny sent me over the edge. He didn’t stop, making sure that I was a hot, ruined mess below before he wiggled from under me. “Touch yourself,” Luke demanded, grabbing a fistful of my hair painfully hard. I did as he said, fingering my quivering cunt as Danny stood and stroked his cock at me.

Were they going to shoot in my face? Shit!  _ Shit! _ I whined loudly, shoving three fingers in my cunt and moving them as I gagged around Luke’s fat cock. My tongue moved about, peeking outside my mouth as I tried to keep up with Luke’s demanding thrusts.

“Gunna cum on that pretty face of yours,” Luke growled, pulling out suddenly and pushing my face to Danny, who had slipped his cock between my lips. I accepted him wholeheartedly, bobbing my head fast as I felt him throb around me. Was Danny going to cum too? Luke took my other hand, using it to stroke his cock as I continued to finger myself faster.

_ ‘Please, please cum! Cum in me, fill my mouth!’ _ I couldn’t deny what I wanted at that moment, and what I wanted was Danny to flood my throat! I bobbed my head harder, whining around him as my hips shook from pleasure.

Danny groaned loudly, pulling out suddenly and stroking his cock like he did the other night. I whimpered and opened my mouth, closing my eyes as I came hard from my fingers. Luke and Danny finally burst, climaxing and spilling their load in my mouth and on my face. I whined and quivered as my thighs clenched. I wanted to finger myself again; it was so intense but it fucking wasn’t enough!

My world spun for a moment and I didn’t open my eyes until it stopped, taking deep, uneven breaths as my body felt warm, exposed, in euphoria. What were these boys doing to me?

Luke chuckled deeply, reaching over and turning my head to where I was facing him. “Next time, Puppy, we’ll make you lick it all up.” I nodded, feeling dazed.

Danny slipped his cock back in his pants and muttered, “I’ll be right back, Sweetheart.” I turned my head and watched as Danny left for Chase’s bedroom. My face felt icky and sticky but I didn’t care. I felt none of the stress that was overwhelming me before and instead was stuck in the aftermath of confusing bliss.

The shifting to my left made me turn my head and I watched as Chase and Mason cleaned their dicks off with napkins, both looking satisfied. Chase glanced at me with hungry eyes. “You did well, Puppy. Who’s the good girl?”

If my mind hadn’t been so muddled, I would’ve said it begrudgingly. Instead, my stomach swirled, and my desire heightened. “I-I am, Sir.” I...I didn’t even sound like myself. 

“Good girl,” Luke replied, rubbing my hair gently. Good girl…I was a good girl, wasn’t I? Fuck, I was in trouble.

**-**

After Danny cleaned me, we got back to homework. And by that, I meant that I tried to focus on what I had left for the day, but I was still hot and bothered. In the end, I only got half the amount done that I was aiming for. I would’ve hated myself for it, but I was relieved in what I could get done after their treatment versus what I would’ve gotten done if Luke and Danny hadn’t, err, taken care of me.

Eleven-thirty hit when we finally called it a day. I had contacted my friends throughout, so I had no surprise visits from anyone, thank God. Danny was the first to leave, kissing my forehead before he ditched the crew. Mason was next to go, though I had a feeling I might see him at my door once I got home. Luke was the last to leave, but before he did, he waved me over.

My stomach had butterflies as he decided to kiss me deeply again. I let him, unable to help but enjoy his kiss at this point. He did take the first one, after all. There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place but I had no time to figure out what was going on before he pulled away and left me alone with Chase.

Once it was just us, Chase had said, “C’mere Puppy.” I went to him and shivered when he tugged on my collar, pulling me onto his lap. My skin felt warm the longer he looked at me and I gulped, hands tightening into fists as I waited to see what he’d do. “You’re a very skittish girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Sir.” Why wouldn’t I have been? Chase was hot and intimidating and based on some of the brawls I’d seen him in, I knew what he was capable of.

“You’ll get used to it.” He reached under and stroked me through my clothes. I whimpered and squirmed, hating how warm I already was despite climaxing twice just hours prior. “How long before I can bury myself in you, hmm?”

“I-It’s only been a few days,” I mumbled, moving my hips the more he stroked me.

Chase’s eyes raked over my body hungrily as his hand grabbed and fondled my ass cheek. “You’re scared, I get it. It’s no worse than taking a shot if done right. After…you’ll be in heaven.” His hand rose and pushed me forward. My breasts pressed against his chest as my face got in close to his. We could’ve kissed. Did I want to? No, but the urge was still there.

He stopped stroking me and tilted his head back, denying me the option of a kiss as he rubbed my back. I ducked my head, resting it on his shoulder as I felt his heartbeat thump against mine. I closed my eyes and sighed softly. “Do you like me on your lap?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Why?”

“Just shut up and enjoy it,” he grated.

“Why should I?” I sat up only for him to pull me back down.

“Because I said so,” he hissed, kissing me deeply. I whined and tried to pull back, but he grabbed the back of my head, keeping me where I was as he made out with me. My fingers dug into his shirt as he brought me even closer, grinding into me as he caught my tongue with his. I let him, moving my tongue around his as my hips rolled.

He growled into my mouth, sliding up and bringing me with him as our mouths crashed into each other. I didn’t know if it was lust or anger pulling me to fuck his mouth with mine, but I was drawn in, all the same, raking my fingers in what blond hair he had. Our hips continued to slam against each other as his hand slipped up my shirt, grabbing my breast tightly.

“Mine!”

My entire body tensed against him as he pulled out my tongue, pulling his mouth away from mine and biting onto my shoulder. I gasped for air, quaking on top of him as he held me to him. Fuck. Fuck!

I wanted him!

“Chase,” I whimpered. He shushed me, kissing my bruised lips gently. I clung to his t-shirt so badly that I was afraid my nails would make holes in it, but Chase didn’t seem to mind. He kissed my ear, my neck, chin, before kissing my lips again.

“I’m gonna push you, Ellie,” he warned as he pulled back, his intense stare capturing me as my body shook. “You’re going to want me, every day, every hour. I will make your pussy and your heart mine, and I’m going to break them both.”

“Y-You won’t,” I spoke, struggling to speak without stuttering. Body, maybe. Maybe he would take and break me, but he wouldn’t have my heart. What kind of woman would I be to fall for him? I wanted nothing to do with him, even if my body wanted him inside me.

He kissed me again, softly, before pulling back. He caught me off guard again, and he knew it.

Chase smirked. “You should go to bed, Ellie, before I take back my word and pin you to this fucking couch.”

I couldn’t keep my body from trembling in desire, even as I glared at him and got out of his lap. I gathered my things quietly while Chase got back on his laptop. He could try all he wanted, but he wasn’t going to get a damned thing from me!

Even as I came to that resolve, I still wanted him inside me. The idea of being filled was becoming more and more intense each time they did something to me, which was ironically not a lot. They were either good at corrupting women, or I was a slut in the making.

My teeth ground together as I moved toward the front door, stopping short when Chase got close and pressed his hand against the door. “New rule,” he spoke, trapping me between his body and the wood. “I want you to come to my room every night at nine. I think I’ve been a little too nice in letting you settle in, but it’s very clear, Puppy, that you need to be trained.”

_ ‘Don’t punch him, don’t punch him, don’t punch him-!’ _

“W-what makes you say that?” I asked, shuddering when his fingers started lightly tapping the door beside my face.

“I want to see desire when you look at me. I want to see you squirm and beg for it when no one else is looking.” Chase smirked and leaned in, his lips a mere centimeter away from kissing me. “You think you’re holding your virginity over my head, don’t you? It’s cute, but you’ll give it up sooner than you think. Do you think you’re the first girl I’ve had in the palm of my hands?” 

Part of my mind warned me that I wasn’t and that it wasn’t Chase’s first rodeo, but I was hoping against hope that maybe he wasn’t sure what to do with me. But he was; fuck, he was confident in what he was doing with me. “Don’t sell me so short!” In my head, my voice was trying to break through a trance he was putting me through. 

He wanted my first, wanted to take me and fuck me and make me his. But fuck that and fuck him, I wasn’t going to let that happen!

“Fight all you want,” he spoke as he stood back. “You’ll cave eventually, just like you did today.” 

“That wasn’t me caving,” I protested, struggling not to throw my backpack at him. 

Chase grinned. “You let a man you barely knew eat you out. I think you’re caving, Puppy, and you need to accept it.” 

“Fuck you,” I hissed, opening the door and stepping out of his room. I expected him to shoot more venom in my face, but he let out a light laugh and shut the door in my face. My body trembled; I was ready to bodyslam the door open and punch his stupid hot face into oblivion. Instead, I dragged my body back to my dorm, shutting the door behind me and slouching against it. 

I was drained. Chase and homework combined took everything out of me. My thighs clenched again but I ignored my stupid body and sat on the couch, rubbing my forehead and struggling to keep it together. I wanted to cry, maybe I should’ve cried, but I felt like I’d be weak if I did. Chase was not going to break me, even if he fucked my mouth every night for eternity.

Simply because he wanted me to crack meant that I would go out of my way as much as possible to resist him. I should’ve felt the same for the rest of them, but I didn’t...couldn’t. Fuck! I had to; if it meant deterring them from getting close to me, I had to shun them all over Spring Break, and that’s exactly what I planned on doing.

...Said plan immediately fell flat when there was a quiet knock on my door. I opened it to find Mason there. Out of habit, I stepped to the side to let him in but he shook his head and kept to the other side of the door. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Jasmine?”

At least he was honest with what he wanted. I smiled awkwardly and went to the cabinet, plucking the box from the shelf before going back to Mason. “Here,” I said, handing it to him. He took it and stared at it for a long minute.

In doing this, he gave me a moment’s worth to watch him and study his features again. The goth boy really was handsome...and confusing...I almost felt bad for not convincing him to come inside. 

“Thank you,” he said after a moment, tilting his head back up to look at me. For a brief moment, I saw a half-smile appear on his face. “Night, Piggy.” 

I take it back, he could go straight to Hell. I slammed the door in his face and muffled my screams. It took me a moment to calm down and only after I took a deep breath did I hear him chuckle softly and walk away from my door. 

No, no I was right the first time. I needed to distance myself from these assholes before I fucking lost it and punched one of them. Getting attached was only going to hurt me, and the only way to keep from making that stupid mistake was to cling to people I already cared about: my friends. 

Chase thought he was going to get under my skin, but the one thing to keep my sanity intact lived close by. He wouldn’t stand a chance, not when I had sane people who cared about me. I wasn’t going to break so easily like he thought I would and I was going to go out of my way to make sure he knew that. 


	5. Chaos and Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inhale, fight. Exhale, love. Inhale, scream. Exhale, hold.

“I propose a toast! To Spring Break not fucking us over!” Ten raised his drink in the air with the most determined expression I’d ever seen on his face.

“Ten, I’ll raise my drink, but I swear to fuck bro, get down before someone gets angry for no reason,” Jack said, glaring up at his brother.

Ten made a catty smile and shook his head. “Nah brah, chill out with me! It’s time to celebrate!” He got off the bench and grabbed Maria’s hand, dancing around to no music and dragging her along with him. Maria laughed but didn’t try to pull away. I glanced at Jack and shrugged helplessly.

I knew Ten was struggling with his classes, but he looked incredibly happy now that he didn’t have to worry about as much homework anymore. Truthfully, I didn’t blame him! I giggled and said, “Save some of that energy, our break hasn’t even started yet!” It was only one in the afternoon and I wasn’t in any rush to celebrate.

“Shh, you don’t get to say a damn thing, naysayer!” Ten cried out, giving me an ugly pouty face.

Maria managed to get her hands back as she nudged him. “Come on, chill for a second.”

“Never!” Ten flipped the bird and snatched Maria’s wallet, leading to a chase around the cafeteria.

“Guys-! Oh, never mind!” Jack shook his head and ignored them, diving into his lunch. I’d already finished mine, so I left the poor man in peace to eat, going through different social apps on my phone to find someone to hassle. “So…you okay?”

I looked up to see Jack watching me. His hand was busy, stirring around mac and cheese in a plastic bowl. “Hmm? Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

He shrugged and took another bite of his food. I thought he was done, but he spoke up again. “You look tired? Homework keeping you up?”

“You have no idea,” I muttered as I looked up at him, trying my hardest not to think of the night before. The boys had their mouths all over me, save Mason of course. My first kiss had since been taken from me, as well as a few other firsts over the past few days. It wasn’t going to end with those firsts, so I was trying to get adjusted to that.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Is Chase bothering you again? I’m pretty sure you rubbed his ego raw.”

“He might be, but he’s left me alone, so…” I shrugged again. “I don’t think the asshole is out of him, far from it. But maybe for now he’ll leave me the hell alone.” I turned off my phone to give Jack my undivided attention. “If he was harassing me, I’d tell you.”

Seeing him smile in confidence and nod was breaking me. I grinned back even as my hand gripped the fabric of my blue shorts under the table. It hurt, it fucking hurt that I couldn’t be honest with him and spill everything. If I told him…it’d just fuck up everything and what the boys had put me through would’ve been all for nothing. The thought of it almost made me sicker than the fact that I was lying to Jack.

He knew a lot of my secrets, even those that I’d never told Ten and Maria before. I owed it to him to tell him but there was too much at stake. I mentally shook the thoughts away and focused on my other two friends, giggling as Maria finally took back her wallet. She stuck out her tongue at Ten before skipping back in my direction. “I win!”

“What’s your prize?” I asked jokingly.

“Lunch money,” she chirped, raking her blonde hair out of her face. “I’m hungry.”

I giggled and shook my head. “This is why we prioritize food over social media.”

“Never,” she hissed playfully, smirking in my direction. I rolled my eyes and looked back down at my phone when a notification went off. Ten came back over and sat down, flopping his body against me dramatically as he opened his phone. We went quiet for a short while, focusing on our own tasks while Maria went off to get lunch.

She took way too long though! I counted twenty minutes when it only took five to grab a meal and be back over. Maybe Ten and Jack didn’t think much of it, but fear struck me hard enough to get up. “I’ll be right back,” I spoke up, wiping my black t-shirt free of crumbs. What if Chase went back on his deal? Fuck!

Jack looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. “Alright. Grab me a granola bar?” He abandoned his mac and cheese since Ten came back from his mini-celebration run.

“Sure,” I replied, making sure I had my wallet before walking across the cafeteria. I poked my head in but didn’t find her in there like I was afraid of. I took a quick glance at the twins before exiting the cafeteria and walking into the hall. The café was inside the college’s activity center alongside the swimming pool, gym, and a couple of other specific rooms that I’d never entered before in my life.

The building was somewhat quiet aside from idle chatter here and there. I tried to listen in to see if I could hear Maria, but I didn’t hear anything. I sent her a text before walking down the hall, not even realizing how fast I was going until I almost made it to the gym, which was almost all the way across the building.

I was somewhat breathless, stopping to catch my breath as I looked upon one of the bulletin boards. I didn’t pay much attention to them and they were only a temporary distraction from what I could hear in the gym. I pressed forward and turned into the gym, eyes widening as I caught sight of Maria.

She was being harassed but not by Chase! No, this was worse. Her shirt had already been discarded and she was being pushed against the wall by two different men.

I lost it.

I couldn’t absorb any other detail; I was met with a burning rage that consumed my thoughts as I readied my fists.

“Get off her!” I gave my position away, but they didn’t care, as if they thought I couldn’t do anything! My fist crashed against his face, ripping him apart from a sobbing Maria.

The other one grabbed my hair from behind, but I twisted and tried to punch his stomach. He kept me at a distance, pulling my hair hard enough that I almost screamed in pain! I shoved my weight onto him, and it sent us crashing. I didn’t hesitate, moving my arms and beating the shit out of the assaulter as hard as I could.

The other one came from behind me, pulling me off and trying to pin me, but I kept kicking and started screaming. “Fuck off of me, you piece of-!” He tried to cover my mouth, but I bit it hard enough to draw blood. He screamed and pulled back, slapping me hard enough that I saw stars.

I expected another hit but was met with shuffling and movement above me.

“Stop it!” Maria screamed, pulling him off me. She got slapped and I saw her body tumble. I tried to get back up, but the other guy had pinned me down with his weight. He pressed against my lungs and I was struggling to breathe right.

“Wait! Andy, please!” 

I thrashed and struggled to get him off me, desperate to keep that asshole from touching her anymore! “Stop!” I couldn’t tell if I screamed it or if she did, but my fight or flight had never been so loud before!

She screamed louder this time and I started to wheeze and panic.  _ ‘God please-!’ _

The lights above us clicked on brightly and for a moment, I thought it was a security guard or another student. I was too busy struggling to breathe to tell!

“What the  _ fuck _ is this?”

Chase! Wait, what the fuck was he doing here?!

My mind was at war, unsure if this was a good or bad circumstance.

“Chase!” I choked out, struggling against the guy above me. He looked perplexed, and then fearful, getting the fuck off me and letting me breathe properly. I gasped, taking in a deep breath as I tried to keep my body from shaking so much. Someone else hovered over me and I prepared to fight, only to exhale in relief. 

_ ‘Danny!’ _

I was quick to take his hand. He helped me stand, grunting as he placed his hands on my shoulders, all but forgetting that we were in public as he looked me up and down worriedly.

“Are you-”

“Okay? No.” I immediately turned to Maria, who was sitting down and crying, wrapping her arms around her chest. The fucker who pinned her, Andy, had backed up and glared at Chase. “Hey!” I started to run to him to punch him again but was held back by Danny. “Don’t fucking stop me!” I tried to shove Danny off but he was insistent on keeping me away from him.

“Security will be here shortly if we don’t vacate,” Chase warned me as his American accent made way for a more authentic English one, scowling at me before turning to glare at Andy. “Get the fuck out of here if you know what’s good for you.” I could see the whites of his teeth, how he flashed them like one would fangs. Did he want to punch him too?

I finally got a good look at the bastard. He had brown dirty hair and an unkind expression with equally vile blue eyes. It wasn’t a surprise that he and his buddy took me down easily; they were almost as fit as Chase. He glanced in Maria’s direction and I reacted quickly, shoving out of Danny’s grasp to go to Maria. “Hey, look at me.” I got on my knees and hugged Maria, glaring death into her assaulter. “I’d take his advice and get.”

At first, it looked like he wasn’t going to relent. Then, he snorted and wiped his lip. “Doesn’t matter, I know where the fuck you live anyway.” He and his friend turned to run for the exit doors. Maria buried her face into my shoulder, sobbing wildly as she hugged herself harder. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but none of them were relevant enough. Right now, all that mattered was getting Maria somewhere private.

My eyes darted upward to Chase, surprised to find that he hadn’t walked off yet. Instead, he walked over and picked up Maria’s shirt, handing it to me without saying anything. I took it and gave it to Maria to hold. “…Thanks.”

He discarded my gratitude and thumbed in the direction of the hallway. “Unless you both want to talk to any wandering officials, I’d get the fuck out of here.” Chase looked tense; the muscles in his arms twitched and gave me the impression that he wanted a fight as much as I did. “Someone would’ve heard her screams.”

As much as I wanted to drop everything and shove my foot up Andy’s ass, Maria was much more important. I kissed the top of her head tenderly, paying Chase and Danny no attention as I gently coaxed her into putting her shirt back on. We then stood up and evacuated the gym quickly, moving to the bathroom so Maria could recover and wash her face.

I watched as she splashed her face, her blond hair vibrating against her body as she trembled. I wanted so badly to help her, to do anything to make what happened to go away. All I could do was watch helplessly as she broke into sobs again and hide inside a bathroom stall. 

I stood there for almost three minutes before she finally calmed down. She spoke up shortly after, suddenly and with a quiet tone. “Give me a minute.” Her request worried me.

“Can I trust you?” I asked, placing my hand on the stall. It…didn’t sit right with me to leave her alone. She didn’t answer and my heart jolted. “Maria? Please, I need you to answer me.” I placed my forehead on the stall and closed my eyes, struggling to calm down from my angry high. I needed to be there for Maria, not be lost in my anger.

She finally spoke up, her voice cracked from crying. “O-Okay. I promise. Give me a few minutes okay? I’ll be fine.” I wanted to believe her. I’d gone through depression when I was younger, but I managed to mostly overcome it. It was still an ongoing battle from her, and sometimes…the episodes were too much for her to handle.

“Don’t do anything stupid. We’re here for you, Maria, I’m here. Okay? Just call me and I’ll be there.” I took a step back from the stall, staring at it a moment longer before sighing and leaving the restroom. I pulled out my phone to finally text Ten and Jack, then paused and decided against it. I loved the twins and they were helpful, but this was too delicate, and I didn’t need them setting her off with their anger.

Mine was bad enough.

I winced and rubbed my jaw, grateful that the fucker decided to slap me instead of punching me. There would’ve been a visible bruise for sure if there wasn’t already.

“You okay?”

I glanced up at Chase warily, grateful that my back had support on the wall. “I’m fine.” I didn’t have it in me to playfully or literally jab at him. What the fuck was he still doing around? “Can I help you?”

Chase opened his mouth and then closed it. I could see how he was calculating what he was going to say just before he gave up and shrugged. “I don’t know. Surprised you aren’t crying yet.”

“It takes a lot more than a guy cutting off my circulation to fuck me over,” I said with a smirk, ignoring the pain in my scalp.

“I know,” Chase spoke, smirking back. He then frowned. “I know that fucker.”

“I bet you know all of the fuckers,” I drawled, grinning at his glare. “I’m fucking with you. Seriously though, I’m fine, she’s fine. You’d be better off getting the fuck out of here.” I glanced over at Danny, sighing in exasperation. He was tense as well but stayed out of the limelight in lieu of Chase keeping my attention. Typical.

To my surprise, Chase situated himself beside me, resting his back against the wall and crossing his arms. It was awkward being so close to him and not doing something perverted. The fuck did he even want? Didn’t he have anything better to do? Ugh, I wasn’t going to let his presence bother me any more than it already had. Besides, he and Danny did save our asses.

Speaking of, it was almost time to check on Maria, so I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself. She’d need my support. I didn’t know much about her love life, mostly because I thought she didn’t have one since high school. I wasn’t the only one with secrets, I mused to myself.

When I got off the wall and turned, Chase grabbed my arm and stopped me. “Tell Maria that she won’t have to worry about him after this.”

The hell did that mean? “Okay,” I said, tugging my arm away and going back inside to check on Maria. “Hey, Chica? You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, opening the door. “I uh…I guess we need to talk, huh?” She looked worse for wear but managed to force a smile regardless. My eyes darted about quickly to see if I could spot old habits, but it looked like she kept her word.

“We’ll talk when you’re ready to.” I smiled and stepped to the side, watching as she walked out and leading her back to the cafeteria where the twins were waiting for us. I had no right to force anything out of her, especially with what I was hiding from everyone.

**-**

Maria didn’t open on how she knew Andy and asked us to give her a little time. Ten agreed to lead her back to her dorm while Jack tried to do the same to me. I waved him away and gave some excuse about how I needed a nap more than the company. Jack relented but pressed the issue about me calling him back if I needed to talk.

I ignored checking the mailbox this time around; odds were, I wouldn’t have anything from my grandparents yet. It was distressing, but I’d gone through enough for the day and the only thing I wanted to do was go home and curl up under my covers. I took the elevator this time, rubbing my cheek as I filled about for my keys. _ ‘Ugh, it really is going to bruise up. Fuck.’ _ I walked out of the elevator and turned the corner, blinking in surprise when I saw Danny standing there with a bag in his hand.

The man looked deep in thought, jaw clenching as his eyes bore into the ground. I paused and took a moment to digest his presence. He was holding a plastic bag but both hands were shoved in his pockets. He looked...upset about something. He was wearing a white t-shirt and light blue jeans that fit him nicely, with classic white tennis shoes to go with the outfit. He really wasn’t as muscular as the others, but his figure was still lean and more fit instead of lanky. 

He glanced at me and smiled softly. “Hey.” 

“Hi.” I narrowed my eyes, forcing my brain to stop checking him out. “Did Chase send you?”

“No, I’m here on my own free will for once.” His smile widened as he stepped to the side. “Ladies first.” I rolled my eyes and unlocked the door, relieved to be stepping into my home again. I then turned to Danny and glanced at the bag. He noticed and shook it. “Chocolates and soda. Completely unhealthy but really nice comfort food.”

I snorted and giggled, closing the door behind him. “Is this how you worm your way into my favor?”

Danny shook his head, slipping his shoes off before gesturing to the couch. “I’m your,” he sighed, as if exasperated, “your Master, and if what I say goes then what I say is for you to calm down and relax before Chase gets any bright ideas.”

Well shit! I wasn’t about to pass up free food! “Alright, I’m sold.” He laughed and watched as I took my shoes off and flopped beside him, sighing a little too loudly as I melted into the couch. “Ugh, this feels nicer than I thought it would.”

“Say that after you’ve had your chocolate,” he said teasingly, blue eyes practically sparkling as he pulled two sodas out of his bag. I made a stupid face, taking the chocolate bar from him. He chuckled and sat beside me, blonde hair tickling his forehead as he settled in beside me. “Movie preference?” 

I frowned and looked up thoughtfully. “Hmm...ever see ‘Coraline’?” 

His mouth curved into a lopsided smile. “Never heard of it.” He was sitting a few inches away from me and at first, I thought he was going to move closer. Instead, he stayed where he was, twisting the lid of his soda. Against my better judgment, I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he took a sip.

Oops. His eyes flickered in my direction and he stopped, looking at me with an amused smirk. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” I lied, grabbing for my laptop to set up the movie. Danny said nothing, content to sit and wait for me to set it up. The couch was on the same level as the table, so aside from plugging them up to my portable speaker, there was no need to raise the laptop. As I looked for the movie, I glanced at him again before sighing. My hands started to busy themselves again, messing with my hair as I asked what had been on my mind for a while. “Can...can I ask you about your buddies?” 

“No, you can’t kill them with fire,” Danny playfully warned, chuckling slightly at his own joke. 

My eyes rolled even as I smiled. “No, I don’t want to kill them...yet. I was, I dunno, kind of curious about how they are outside of demanding and demented as hell.” 

“Sure,” he replied, sitting up straighter as he relaxed one leg over another, stretching the seams of his jeans and pressing against his...err, his skin. Yeah. 

Even when he wasn’t trying to be, the tilt his head made when he rested on his fist after leaning on the armrest, the way his eyes lit up and his lips curved into a gentle smile; all of it made him fucking handsome, and I fucking hated it. Why did he have to be so attractive?

I gulped and discarded the mouse for a moment as I leaned back and looked at him. “Do you guys, err, do this kind of thing a lot? Find a girl and make her a...fuck, what’s it called? A unicycle?” 

Danny laughed, melting my stupid heart and stirring unwanted desires below. “It’s called a bicycle, Sweetheart, and no. This is...new. Uncomfortably new.” He shifted and cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing away from me. “Maybe Chase has done this before, but it’s never been a group thing before.” 

“Never ever?” I asked, feeling bewildered. 

“Never ever,” he repeated, folding his hands in his lap. “I uh...just hope Chase knows what he’s getting into. You’re the first spitfire he’s dealt with.” He gave me a secret smile. “Any other questions?”

At least he wasn’t trying to be entirely evasive. 

“Okay, what about Luke and Mason? It seems like they’re a personality trait or two away from becoming twins.” 

He smiled and said, “They have their issues, don’t we all?” 

“You have a point,” I said, rolling my eyes because I knew he was trying to cover for them. Why would he tell someone he barely knew about people who were practically his brothers? “Okay, um, so they do track together. Do you guys normally do stuff together?” 

“Yeah,” he said, scratching his chin as his expression softened. “We did a lot of things together. It used to be basketball and then track. We grew, our tastes changed, but on occasion, we’ll work out together.” 

That was reasonable. “But you guys normally hang out every day?” 

“Mmhmm.” Danny looked as if he were studying me. “Why the sudden curiosity?” 

“Because unlike you, everyone else is acting two-faced with me.” I puffed out my cheeks. “Chase doesn’t know if he wants to be rough with me or just cuddle, Luke is, goddamn, he’s just a mess! And then you have Mason with his nightly visits and-.”

“Nightly visits?” 

I nodded. “He’s come over twice to get tea from me.” I couldn’t stop the blush from appearing on my face. “The third time he just took the tea without staying, so I’m thinking maybe that’s the last I’ll see of him after midnight.” 

Danny sighed, raking fingers through his hair as he leaned forward. “Damn...he’s having nightmares again.” 

“He did mention that,” I pointed out, watching Danny with some concern. He seemed distressed, from the way his leg bounced to the way he was gnawing the inside of his cheek. I didn’t feel comfortable touching him, but I did manage an awkward smile. “I’m sure he’ll be alright. Why don’t you go check on him?” 

He shook his head. “He’ll...you’re right, he’ll be fine. I came to take care of you tonight, remember?” 

My cheeks heated and I looked away, unsure if I should start the movie or not. When his hand reached over and rested on my back, I relaxed a little and leaned over to continue finding the movie, starting it up when I did. I then leaned back and curled up, unwrapping the chocolate and popping a piece into my mouth. 

Danny had scooted closer to me but didn’t make a move to wrap his arm around me. I’d seen “Coraline” more than a few times but it was always a nice watch. Based on the chuckles and slight gasps when he wasn’t expecting a jumpscare told me that he was at least invested enough to pay attention.

Our phones vibrated a few times, but aside from that, neither of us were bothered by the other’s comfort. Toward the tail end of the movie I...admittedly...kind of wanted to see what it felt like to lean against him. I scooted even closer to see how he’d react. When Danny said nothing, I scooted even closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. 

More than a few minutes passed and I relaxed, realizing that he was fine with me curling up to him like this. I...fuck, I enjoyed it. Maybe I shouldn’t have, maybe I should’ve gotten angry with him, but I couldn’t find it in me. I doubted I was wrong about him being spineless to put a stop to the bullshit his friends were pulling, but he was at least trying to make sure I was okay. 

When the movie ended, we ended up playing another movie and I killed both my soda and chocolate. We watched “9” and “Corpse Bride” together, making remarks and overall enjoying each other’s company as the sun was setting. I listened to the end credits music, closing my eyes and relishing in the warmth he gave. I’d almost drifted off enough to sleep, but my phone vibrated in my lap. 

“Shit,” I muttered, glancing at my phone. When did I lose track of time? Chase had sent a text, reminding me to come over at nine. Great.

“What is it?” he asked, sitting upright.

“Chase,” I muttered, noting that I had about...ten minutes, maybe less, until I had to show up at his door. I wasn’t looking forward to whatever he had in store for me, and after the day’s events, I just wanted to go to bed...or curl up to Danny more. 

A hand touched mine and I flinched, glancing at Danny sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just...riled up, I guess? Yeah, I’m riled up. I’ll be fine.” 

He didn’t remove his hand, gently rubbing my knuckles, the same ones that came in contact with Andy’s stupid fucking face. Just thinking about it had my nostrils flaring. Danny’s hand then gripped mine, bringing my fingers up to his lips and kissing them softly, eyes grazing over my figure. “You’re so tense,” he spoke softly. 

I quirked a humorless smile. “Hard not to be, Danny. It’s like I said, I’m fine.” I pulled my hand away from him, clearing my throat in an attempt to steady my mind and body. I wasn’t expecting so much affection from him! “I’ll be back,” I muttered, turning and walking to my bedroom. 

It took me a moment to gather myself. My heart was fluttering wildly and my neck felt warm as hell! Christ, the last thing I needed to do was show up at Chase’s door looking like he made me flustered! “Calm down,” I whispered, patting my chest gently. There wasn’t any need to get riled up; it was just a kiss, a kiss Danny probably felt obligated to make. 

After taking a few deep breaths, I searched for my collar to put it on, blinking in surprise upon realizing that Danny didn’t make me wear the collar. Hell, he didn’t even ask me about it! I was starting to respect him more, little by little.

Once I found my collar I paused to frown at my attire, wondering if he would want me to change it or not. I stayed dressed in the same thing all day; a black t-shirt and blue shorts. I wasn’t one to flair my attire every day, or even on occasion, so I kept it simple about ninety percent of the time. 

Upon hearing Chase’s voice, I got completely confused and reached for the handle of the door, pausing to listen in on the conversation he and Danny were having. 

“Didn’t think you’d be here with her.” Yeah, that made two of us. 

“She needed the distraction. Whatever you got planned, it can wait, she’s already had a rough day.” Wait...Danny was protesting for me?

Chase sighed loudly. “Training is training, Dan. Unless...you want to do it?” 

Well, that was the question of the century, now wasn’t it? Up to this point, Danny had been reluctant unless with the rest of his pals. I’ve tasted him twice now and he’s tasted me. I shuddered, rubbing my jaw. The thought of Danny going down on me instead of Chase was nice, but I still didn’t like the idea all the same.

“You know that’s not what I want,” Danny bit out, startling me with how harsh he sounded. 

“Lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me,” Chase retorted. “Quit being so emotional about this; either you train her tonight or I will, it’s a simple enough choice. Besides, I’m sure she could use the distraction anyway.” 

Seriously, fuck Chase. It didn’t surprise me that he was an asshole to his friends too, but it didn’t make me feel any better! I huffed loudly and stepped outside my bedroom, glaring at Chase as I struggled not to ball up my fists. “I’ll do it with him,” I announced.

Chase’s expression didn’t look pleased, but he was the one to offer it. So, fuck him! Whatever he had planned, Danny could do it to me instead! The shaggy blonde glanced in my direction with a slight frown and I gave him a kind smile in return. “It’s fine, Danny.” 

“See?” Chase’s disappointment seemed to have disappeared almost instantly as he handed Danny a small pink bag. “Good to know we’re all on the same page. Oh, and uh…” He leaned in and whispered something in Danny’s ear. His body tensed up from whatever Chase had said, but when he opened his mouth to refuse, Chase gave him a hard stare. “Compromise, Danny. She’s mine, remember that.” 

“You make it hard to forget.” Was that a sneer coming from Danny? They stared at each other for what felt like forever before Chase finally broke contact and smirked at me.

“Have fun, Puppy~”

_ ‘I’ll show you fun, you piece of-.’  _ “Bye.” I walked over to the door, gripping the knob as he walked away. Seriously, fuck him. I exhaled and closed the door, glancing at Danny who was looking into the bag given to him. “So...uh...what are you supposed to do with me?” 

“Nothing you’ll like,” he promised, looking up at me guiltily. He looked like he wanted to apologize, but unlike Luke, he probably understood why it would just be a waste of breath and time. “Ellie, I know none of them have talked about this, but we need to establish a safeword. I don’t...I’m not going to be the person who disrespects your limits.” 

A safeword? I nodded a little, biting my lower lip as I fidgeted where I stood. A safeword made all of this feel more real than it already was but...he had a point. A good point. “It’s good to know you care about my limits,” I spoke, unsure of how else to respond. 

Danny smiled softly at this, sighing loudly as his eyes wandered back down to the bag before looking back up at me. “There are toys in here but...there’s also an outfit. I’m assuming he wants to get your body more used to more exposure and pleasure before we push you.” 

“That’s good to know.” I approached Danny apprehensively, placing my hand on his fingers. “This is fine, Danny, you know that right?” 

“It isn’t,” he replied, leaning in and kissing my forehead. My heart lurched again, and I had to pretend like he didn’t set off multiple nerves at once. “I need you to get undressed for me, Sweetheart,” he murmured against my skin, handing me a bundle of fabric. I shuddered and took a step back, grateful that even though he’d seen me naked twice already, Danny was still turning around and giving me the privacy to strip.

My clothes came off faster than my pride was willing to admit. I wasn’t eager for whatever Chase had planned but seeing someone who seemed to generally care about me made me less worried. He’d take care of me...right?

I slipped on the lacy dress and frowned. Something wasn’t right about this dress. It was so see-through and the skirt was short enough that the lower half of my ass could be seen. The worst part wasn’t how the babydoll dress showed my ass, but how my breasts were completely exposed because of the open cups.

To think I would’ve been standing in front of Chase like this…It would’ve angered me had I not been in front of Danny. The last part of the attire was the panties that came with; it was practically a thong, covering the front part but slipping between my cheeks because of the strap.

“I-I’m done,” I muttered, hugging my breasts as he turned around. He gulped, stared, and then smirked. “Um…” 

“Relax.” He came over and gently took my hand, unable to keep his eyes off of me. “Where do you want to do this?” 

I shivered and blushed, averting my eyes. “T-The bed.” 

He lifted my hand, kissing it again before leading me to my bedroom. Mine was a lot simpler than Chase’s; I had a bed against the wall, a bathroom to the right, a dresser to my immediate right, and a smaller dresser and closet to the right of the bathroom door. The room was mildly messy and had different hues of purple and blue around the room, and the only extra furniture I had was a soft chair in the corner of the room.

Danny led me to the side of the bed and said, “I need you on your back but please get comfortable.” 

“Okay.” 

I got in bed, finding comfort in the softness of my sheets as I gathered my pillows and situated them properly. My body twisted and jiggled when I turned to lie on my back, and for the first time in a long while, I felt my mind grow too aware of how big I was. Was Danny really the kind of person to like big women, or was he trying to spare me?

He turned and held a box in his hand, sitting at the edge of the bed near me as he unwrapped whatever it is that he was going to use on me. “Have you thought about a safeword yet?” 

Oh. Oops. I giggled awkwardly, struggling not to pull the blankets over my body. “Uh...no, not yet. Sorry.” 

“Take your time,” he replied, pausing to smile in my direction before going back to taking the package apart. I watched him in silence as he pulled out an egg-shaped pink thing. “Where does he find these things?” 

I giggled despite the situation, sitting up and watching him a little more closely. He continued to unwrap it. Based on what the box read, it was a bullet vibrator. I wasn’t too innocent to know what the bullet could do to me. My face twisted at the idea of anything being used on me. It seemed small enough to slip inside, but I had no idea what Danny was planning on doing. 

He stared at the sex toy before glancing in my direction. “Well, uh...I guess I have to use this now.” 

A giggle escaped my throat as I reached over and poked it. “You’re so awkward about this.” 

“Sorry,” he muttered. 

“Don’t be.” 

Danny made sure the bullet worked before turning to me and kissing my jaw. “I’m not good at this,” he admitted, reaching over and caressing my shoulder. “It’s easier to get lost in...never mind, sorry.” The blonde chuckled. “You don’t want to hear a man say that.” 

The smell of his skin was nice and rustic; something akin to a tree and honeysuckle. I closed my eyes, remembering how he acted with me yesterday. Even when he advanced on me, he was careful and reassuring. “You’re fine,” I muttered, smiling shyly. Fuck, he wasn’t the only one feeling awkward. Chase knew that I’d never gotten with anyone before but the rest of the boys were unaware of this. 

He locked eyes with me before chuckling and looking away. His cheeks reddened. “Maybe Chase should’ve done this.” 

I shook my head and got closer, almost breathing unevenly at how close I was to him. “Danny?” 

“Hmm?” He turned back to look at me but didn’t budge an inch.

My body was starting to tremble but I held my ground. “Um...what did you do when-when you and Luke went down on me? You didn’t have to but you did. What’s so different now?” 

Danny turned to me, eyes seemingly studying me as he took in my frame the way I took in his. He then reached over and cupped my cheek. “If I tell you, you’d probably punch me.” He chuckled and I blushed. Fuck, I had no confidence or experience with any of this! 

“I’m okay with this,” I pressed, trying to get him comfortable. I don’t know why I was trying to reassure him, but the idea of being anywhere near Chase right now sickened me. Out of the fuckers I had to deal with the group, I wanted Danny to be the one to touch me, kiss me. I would never admit it, but I didn’t have to with him. Right, safeword. I needed one. I glanced at his clothes again and said, “B-Blue...my safeword is Blue. You wanted a safeword, right?” 

“Yes, I did.” He turned to me and leaned forward, hesitating before kissing my jaw. I didn’t move, trying to tell him without saying that I was okay with this. He put the bullet down and moved his hands to my waist, sliding onto the bed as his lips pressed against mine. 

I trembled and kissed back, following his lead as he lowered me onto my back. His lips never left mine, kissing me more gently than I’d ever been kissed before. My breath was weak and uneven compared to his steady breaths; warm, tanned body shaking against his taut, pale form.

This shouldn’t have felt as romantic as it did. He could’ve been more upfront about everything, that would’ve made this so much easier. Instead, I felt myself get lost in Danny’s caresses and kisses and fucking melted against him. For a moment, I forgot that Chase had planned everything, from the dress to the bullet. 

What he didn’t plan was how Danny’s body molded against mine; soft, lean, and unbearably warm.


	6. Bloom and Glow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm weak for this chapter, send help, send all the help.

I kept my hands by my sides, letting him kiss me and carefully rake his fingers against my skin. He then went for his shirt, tugging it off and coming back down to kiss me again in the same timid manner. I hummed softly, relaxing against my bedsheets as I let him capture my lips again, getting used to his body as he carefully explored mine. 

He was so sweet and delicate, even as his hands trailed up and cupped my breasts. My nipples stiffened upon contact and my back barely arched. He licked my lips, nibbling on them before kissing me deeply. I sighed in content, closing my eyes as I allowed my body to just  _ feel _ him.

At some point, he did pull away from me, squeezing my breasts one final time before muttering, “I’m not going to put this inside you, but I have to tape it on you. Tell me when you feel discomfort.” 

My head bobbed as I finally opened my eyes, watching him pull out tape. He then situated his body between my legs, pressing the bullet against the fabric of my panties. “We’ll do this for now,” he said, ducking down to kiss my knee. Danny then ripped off the tape and stuck it over the bullet, attaching it to my underwear. “Eventually you’ll have direct contact, but I want to get you used to the intensity first.”

“Okay.” I shivered as his fingers grazed my slit over the fabric of my panties. I shouldn’t have been surprised to find that I’d become wet from this, but it still shook me how aroused was just from kisses and touches.

Danny held the small remote that came with it and turned it on. The vibrations caught me off guard and I inhaled sharply. Panties or not, my clit was still getting stimulated, and my body reacted in twitches and jolts from it. “Oh my god,” I whimpered. “What the fuck kinda torture tool is this?” 

He laughed, reaching over to pat my head. “The worst, I’m assuming.” 

“The worst,” I repeated, taking deep breaths as I tried to focus. My clit was enjoying this too much. How the fuck did he expect me to do anything, and on such a low vibration too?

I heard Danny mess with his zipper and leaned back up, blushing as I got a load of his cock. It was a nice tool, girthy but not enough to suffocate. Fuck, it wasn’t even fully hard yet, was it? He caught me staring and barely smirked. “Come here.”

Brownie points for not using my pet name, I decided, crawling to him and shivering when he cupped my chin. “What, uh, oh  _ fuck _ , what do you want me to do?” I was struggling to keep my hips from rolling. The panties were tight on me, so there was no shifting the vibrator away from my clitoris.

“I want you to practice using your tongue and hands,” he replied, shifting to where he was laying on his back. “Get used to its size and holding it. I’m pretty sure Chase has plenty of plans for you over Spring Break.” 

Had I not made the decision to stay on campus over break, I would’ve been at home, avoiding him and the rest of them. “Great,” I muttered, sitting up and watching him, fingers twitching but not moving. I was...nervous, to say the least. It was easier when they made me use my mouth and hands, but Danny was giving me the chance to actually explore. 

“Take your time,” He spoke softly, caressing my thigh. I shivered and got even closer, bumping my knees against his leg and reaching down to touch his stomach. He watched me with a reassuring smile, resting his head over his free hand. He looked so relaxed that I almost envied him. 

Okay. I could do this. I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves, tracing my fingers over his shaft. It twitched and I pulled my fingers back, but a glance at Danny told me that I didn’t hurt him nor was he bothered by it. He smiled and I went back to touching his length. It wasn’t too thick and it was very warm to the touch. I could feel the veins and small tickles of hair where his razor must’ve missed. 

Slowly, it rose, hardened from my hesitant caresses, and I got curious and touched the head. Danny made a soft noise and it twitched again. “Sorry,” I muttered, retracting my hand.

“It’s okay. Touch there again.” 

I tried not to suck on my lower lip when he turned up the vibrations of the bullet a little, rubbing the head of his cock with my thumb. “L-Like this?” 

Danny hummed a moan as his erection twitched again. “Just like that. The head and skin right under are the most sensitive, so don’t be rough, but don’t be afraid to touch okay?” 

“Okay.” I continued to study his cock, carefully wrapping my fingers around his length. He pulsed and throbbed against me, and I was getting the feeling that it felt good. Not that I thought it would hurt him but…  _ God _ , everything was so new to me. 

“Don’t be scared,” he muttered, reaching up to rub my cheek. “Try stroking me, get used to the feeling of it.” My hand moved slowly, raising and lowering as I gripped his skin enough to move it. His cock reacted favorably, twitching, and hardening in my grasp as its owner exhaled quietly. I was going well, at least that’s what I thought. 

I kept at it, trying my best not to squeeze too hard or move too roughly. Danny didn’t stop me, occasionally murmuring pointers or tips to make it feel better before finally placing his hand over mine, stilling my movement. Did I mess up? I looked at him and waited for further instruction. 

He smiled and said, “I have to put the bullet on your skin now. Get on your back.” 

Pulling away from him, I got comfy, staring at the ceiling as my body started to tremble again. He was slow, tender in peeling the tape off and nudging the panties to the side. He placed the vibrator on my clit and I struggled not to close my thighs, especially since Danny was somewhat between them. 

“Feels really good,” I murmured, blushing and struggling not to cover my face. I felt too fucking exposed to him. He smiled apologetically before his gaze sobered. “What’s wrong?” Was he really not into any of this?

Danny rubbed my inner thigh with his free hand before sighing and wincing. “I realize now that I was an idiot. I should’ve told you this sooner, but…” 

“What else did Chase ask you do to?” I knew it was that bastard; he was always adding shit on as if he lived just to make me uncomfortable.

“He,” he exhaled sharply as if preparing for a harsh reaction, “he wants me to take pictures of you for proof.” 

“ _ What?! _ ” 

His worry wasn’t misplaced! I sat up and shook my head. “No,  _ no fucking way _ , I’m calling bullshit!” 

“I know it sounds bad, Ellie, but Chase and the others would never spread photos of you. You gotta believe me on that.” 

“After all the shit they pulled?!” I suddenly felt gross. Whatever spell Danny had put over me was gone. The reassurances, the touches, him being sweet; it was all just to butter me up to this! 

He took a deep breath and gave me a firm but gentle stare. “Say it.” 

“What?” What? The fuck was he on about now?!

He pulled his phone out and held it in front of me. “Say the safeword and I’ll turn this off. It’ll just be the two of us, no phone, no photos.” 

He was giving me the option…? I bit my lip and stared down at the phone. I was angry, no,  _ seething _ that Chase would ask Danny to do such a thing. I might have been his “Puppy”, but goddamn it, I still had limits!

“No pictures,” I pleaded, shaking my head and nudging his phone away. “But if I say it, the safeword, doesn’t that mean you stop altogether?” 

“Yes,” he replied, setting his phone down and preparing to turn it off in front of me. “It’s called a safeword for a reason. I’m okay with this, Ellie, and I’m not going to let Chase bully you into doing anything overwhelming while I’m around, picture-taking included. I mean that.” 

Well, holy fucking shit. The wallflower was breaking rules for me now? He really was willing to go out of his way for me, even if it meant hearing Chase’s bullshit later. I opened my mouth and then clamped it shut. Shit, why was I hesitating? There was no way that Danny’s affection was getting to me hard enough that I wanted him to continue! 

...I wanted him to continue. Fuck me. I took a deep breath and considered my options. Could we keep going even though I didn’t want pictures taken of myself? 

My fingers started picking at my hand nervously as I contemplated my choices. I was free from the vibrator but my core was still aching and...I guess...maybe I was enjoying myself. Was it so wrong to indulge in something I had to deal with eventually anyway? Danny was so close, eye to eye with me, and watching my actions carefully. He did care; it didn’t matter if he felt obligated or genuinely cared, he still fucking cared. 

“I uh…” I cleared my throat awkwardly, staring at the ground. “I’d like, um, I’d like to continue if that’s okay. W-Without the photos.” I hated how unsure I felt. I didn’t want Danny to see me vulnerable, but I felt like he was the only one who wouldn’t pick at the hearts on my sleeves. 

“Of course,” He muttered, cupping my chin and tilting my head up to meet his eyes. He got close, lips hovering over mine but never fully touching me. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, Sweetheart.” 

Something told me that he wasn’t going to drop that nickname anytime soon, and it sent my stomach swirling. I closed my eyes and pressed against him, not giving in to kissing him but not pulling away either. “W-What do you want me to do?” 

He hummed in thought, kissing my jaw, my chin, and around everywhere but my lips. “We’ll continue with the bullet, but using your hands and mouth are optional.” 

I nodded, shivering when he ducked and kissed my neck. He placed his hand on my back and the other at my hip, going down with me as I moved to lie on my back. He finally kissed my lips, carefully, and with the barest of touches in case I wanted to push him away. “You like kissing a lot,” I muttered with a sheepish grin.

“You have nice lips,” was his only defense, chuckling as he adjusted and put the vibrator against my clitoris. He covered me up, making sure that the bullet couldn’t move around thanks to tape. “Okay, you can sit up now.” 

I leaned back up and watched as he turned it back on, now raising the vibrations. I took a deep breath and closed my hips in a weak attempt to lessen the feeling, but all it did was press the bullet against my flesh. My eyes closed for a moment and I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning. Fuck, this toy felt incredible. “H-How would I even focus on pleasing you?” I muttered, opening my eyes and looking at him through my lashes. 

My nipples tingled and my skin felt tingly and based on the remote, it wasn’t even the highest vibration yet. Danny got close again and kissed me, grabbing my fat waist timidly as he rubbed noses against me. “As I said, we don’t have to worry about me.” 

Against my better judgment, I kissed him in response, feeling fuzzier and warmer than before. Nothing was coming and leaving my head clearly anymore. Fuck, if I was stuck with him then I was going to enjoy this! I kissed him again, and then again, slowly moving my lips away from his face. They dragged against his jaw before I pulled back and kissed his neck. He said nothing, leaving me to do what I wanted.

I kissed his collarbone, hands clinging to his shoulders as I went further down, kissing between his breasts, and just above his stomach. God, his skin was so soft. His hands reached up, cupping either side of my face tenderly as I continued to slide and kiss my way down his body. He was too close, too fucking close, but he wasn’t close enough. 

“Ellie.” 

I barely heard my name, kissing just above his pelvis as the tip of his cock brushed the bottom of my chin. His fingers gently wrapped around my chin, lifting my eyes to meet his. “You don’t have to do this.” 

“I want to.” It wasn’t a lie. I didn’t know if it was my hormones or if it was because Danny was so nice to me, but I wanted to taste him. He didn’t stop me, letting go of my chin and sitting up against the board of the bed. I followed him, ignoring how warm my skin was becoming as I kissed his shaft. I positioned my stomach on top of a pillow, swallowing thickly before leaning up to finally pop his head in my mouth.

Just a week ago I never thought I’d be willingly sucking any of them off, but there I was, eagerly sucking on the head of his cock. Danny flinched and inhaled sharply, lap twitching as I pushed my tongue against his tip. I lowered my mouth more and then started to bob gently, making sure not to scrape my teeth against him. 

My thighs clenched as I continued to quiver below, struggling to keep my focus as he turned up the vibrations. I didn’t think I could get him off just like this, but a part of me wanted to try. I kept bobbing my head, getting more of him inside my mouth each time I went down. He was thick in my mouth, pulsing gently as I dragged my tongue over his veins. 

“Just like that,” he muttered, biting his lip as his fingers found their way into my hair. I kept at it, hovering over him so I could move my head better. I moaned, struggling against the natural desire to be filled from behind. “Try,  _ fuck _ ,” he panted, “try stroking what you can’t fit Sweetheart.” I wrapped my fingers around the lower half of his shaft and moved my hand. I felt clumsy, trying to figure out how to hold him while my tongue kept wiggling. 

“Suck a little harder, like a popsicle.” That gave me a better idea of what I was doing, and Danny reacted favorably as I ducked back down, bucking his hips and gripping the sheets with his other hand. I continued to bob my head, stroking and sucking all the while he set the settings of the vibrator close to the highest level. 

I whined loudly, rolling my hips as my hardened nipples dragged against his inner thighs. I stopped and shut my eyes tight, pulling back as I gasped for air. “F-Fuck, Danny. I wanna cum.” 

“I know Ellie.” He wiped saliva from my lips, slipping his thumb into my mouth. I sucked it, whining as my hips bucked again. I needed to cum goddamn it! “Hang in there a little longer. I’m turning it all the way up.” He pulled away and I braced myself.

My body suddenly arched and I cried out, ducking my head beside his cock. “Fuck!” I moved my hips shamelessly against the air, breathing unevenly and struggling not to give in. “I-I can’t, it’s too much! Turn it back down!” 

“Not yet.” Danny lifted my head, my lips grazing his cock. “Show me how you feel, honey.” My heart was going as wild as the vibrator but I did what he asked, sliding his cock into my mouth and bobbing my head desperately. His hips twitched and he groaned, gripping my hair to help keep my head moving. I mewled and whined around him, rocking my hips harder.

_ ‘God, I can’t do this!’ _ My thighs tensed up and I knew I was about to cum, but when I tried to lift my head and warn him, he kept me down, thrusting his hips up and hitting the back of my throat. I opened my eyes to watch his face scrunching up in ecstasy as he fucked my mouth.

I sucked my cheeks in as much as I could around him, tensing up as I barely kept from climaxing. I needed him to cum, God please, I wanted him to fill my mouth!  _ ‘Hurry, damn it, Danny!’ _ He kept my head to the base, choking me as his hips slapped into my face fervently, his cock throbbing more noticeably as he groaned and arched.

I couldn’t hold it in, fuck, not with seeing him like that! I gave out a muffled squeal of defeat as I arched and tensed up, cumming hard even as my hips still sought friction, movement,  _ anything _ ! He caught me off guard, stilling against me and keeping my head held to the base as he ejaculated inside me. 

Spit and semen dribbled down my cheek as I choked, drank, and choked some more. I finally pressed my legs together, hoping to push the bullet away, but it stayed, rubbing me past climax.

When he finally let me lift my head, I gasped for air and flopped to the side, curling up and twitching as the vibrator continued. It then settled, slowly...and stopped. I took deep breaths, struggling to come down from my delicious high. 

We said nothing as we caught our breath. I shut my eyes and tried not to squirm, caught eagerly seeking out another climax and wanting to wipe away the evidence of the first. My brain was too foggy to think right, so I stopped trying and slumped against my bedsheets.

The silence lasted maybe a few minutes before the bed creaked. I cracked open an eye to glance up at Danny still catching his breath, looking down at me in worry. “Ellie?” He almost stuttered but held it together, moving the dark curls off of my sweaty forehead. “I-I’m sorry, did I push you?” 

My head shook slowly. “No,” I muttered, “I’m fine. Just a little tired.” Tired...aroused...kinda cock-hungry. I was not about to tell him the last two thoughts, turning onto my back. He exhaled and spread my legs open. “H-Hey!” I shrieked and grabbed his wrists, blushing furiously. “What the f-fuck?” 

“Easy, I’m just trying to take the bullet out,” He replied, smiling in amusement. “You’re so skittish.” 

Ugh, I did not know how to respond to that! I let his wrists go and flopped back down, staying still as he gingerly removed the vibrator. I was grateful to be free of the toy, but I was dripping and had made a mess out of my panties. I could smell my scent from here and it only aroused me further. How the fuck was I going to calm down like this?

Before I could do or ask anything impulsive, Danny placed the toy on my bedside table and curled up behind me, wrapping his arms around my large waist. I didn’t fight this, even if I was struggling not to back and grind into him. 

Everything went quiet again but I wasn’t against it. My head was just starting to clear up again. Now that I was thinking clearly...I still liked it. I had expected immediate guilt for letting a stranger touch me and making me feel good but...everything seemed so familiar with Danny, and I was sure we’d never interacted before. 

Fuck, my head had to have still been a dizzy mess. My thoughts were starting to sound like I was in love with him. I wasn’t...but that didn’t take away the fact that he made me feel comfortable with everything happening to me. 

After a short while of silence, I opened my mouth and closed it, huffing softly as my cheeks warmed. I then tried again. “Danny?” I sounded breathy, nervous.

“Hmm?” His grip around me hadn’t changed, implying that he was comfy with the way we were. 

I gulped and shivered. “Um...a-about the kissing…” I struggled to figure out what to say. What did I want to say? Kissing him felt good? Or maybe I felt bad kissing him? Did he mistake it for something else?

His hand idly rubbed my tummy as he asked, “What about it?” 

A sigh escaped my lips as I curled up. “It’s nothing.” It wasn’t “ _ nothing _ ” but I...I didn’t know what to say. Everything felt weird coming out of my mouth. “Sorry.” 

“Don’t be,” he muttered, leaning in to kiss my ear. “Take your time. We can just lay here if you want.” 

That was actually incredibly tempting. My stupid brain didn’t want to work so I was already throwing in the towel to start a conversation. I nodded and said, “Yeah, if that’s okay with you.” 

“It sure is.” His grip became firmer as he pulled me even closer, molding his body against mine. I blushed again and closed my eyes, relishing in his warmth. The longer we laid there, the more inclined I was to fall asleep. So used to having the bed to myself, I turned over and my stomach jolted at the sight of Danny’s dazed expression. 

His heavy-lidded eyes weren’t staring at anything in particular but upon me turning, had flickered down to meet mine. We shared an awkward smile and I wanted to turn back around, but I didn’t have it in me, now way too comfy the way I was. Shit.

I sighed softly and closed my eyes, relaxing against the sheets. My breath caught in my throat when he adjusted his body, resting his chin on the top of my head. I felt...small, ironically, in his arms, and let him hold me without fighting it. Just when my body was prepared to rest, Danny’s voice broke through the silence. 

“Are you alright?” 

I nodded wordlessly, cracking my eyes open to stare at his chest. He really was the lankiest of the four of them but it didn’t take away how attractive he was. The hairs on his jaw tickled me as he asked, “Do you need water?” 

Actually fuck, I probably did. “Please?” 

Danny stifled a chuckle and slipped away from me, getting out of bed and grabbing his shirt to slip it back on. “I’ll bring your clothes back too.” 

“It’s fine, I have pajamas.” I sat up and raked my curly hair back, taking a deep breath before sliding out of bed. Admittedly, Danny could’ve just stayed in bed and I wouldn’t have complained. The fact that he was still trying to take care of me, even while he had the complete right to leave, said a lot to me. I couldn’t stop my face from wrinkling as I grinned, going through my drawers to grab a nightgown, discarding the sweaty hormone-infested lingerie onto the floor.

Danny’s actions reminded me of my brother’s, in the most basic, platonic sense; caring, careful, considerate. Everything he’s done, from making sure I wasn’t badly injured to giving me a safeword, told me that regardless of what kind of moron he was, he did care.

Fuck, he really cared. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I took another deep breath to turn my thoughts off. I was hardly in the mood to question his intentions or my morals. I slipped the nightgown on just as he walked back in, handing me a glass of water. “Thank you.” I took it and sipped from it, closing my eyes as my throat thanked me for the cool liquidy goodness. 

“You’re welcome.” My eyelids opened to find him gathering the toy and the trash that came with it, cleaning up his mess and throwing everything but the toy back in the pink bag. “If you want, I can discard the dress too.” 

“Hmm? Oh.” I glanced at the dress on the floor and made a face. “It’s uh...ugh, it’s fine. Chase might catch a case and get something worse.” I set the glass down on the dresser and plopped back into bed. “This is my resting place for the rest of the night.” 

He laughed softly and said, “I don’t blame you. I hope you get some rest.” 

Huh? I glanced up at him, confused. “Err...you aren’t staying?”

“No?” He tilted his head as if he was caught off guard. “...Did you want me to stay over?” 

Okay, I kinda trapped myself there. My cheeks warmed but I couldn’t answer fast enough. He caught on and smiled sweetly. “I don’t have to stay here if it makes you uncomfortable, Ellie.” 

I groaned and flopped my face into the bed. “I don’t know.” I felt so awkward and so confused. I didn’t know what to do! There was a long period of silence before the bed finally lowered from the motions of someone else getting in. His warm hand raked my hair back and I turned a little to meet his friendly smile. “...Hi.” 

Danny laughed and retracted his hand. “Hello. Would you like to cuddle, Ellie?” 

Pride and ego be damned, more cuddles sounded nice as hell. “Sure,” I replied, turning and laying down as Danny rested beside me. When his arm lifted, I wiggled closer, resting my face just before his chin again. He wrapped his arm around me and held me close and a sigh escaped my lips. “Thanks.” 

“You’re welcome.” He messed with the strands of my dark hair with his other hand, breathing easy and holding me as if I was his girlfriend. Maybe in some fucked up way I was? Shit, I didn’t know. 

Forgoing my nervousness and the lingering threat of awkwardness, I spoke up and asked, “So...I know you haven’t done this as a group with the boys before but have you...done this before?” Okay, I sounded totally awkward. 

He either didn’t notice or didn’t care to point it out. “Yes, a few times before. It was under more, uh, romantic circumstances though.” His chest rumbled against me as he snicked. “This is the first time I’ve been sexually active with someone I’m not with.” 

_ Oh _

My stomach was a sea of nervousness. “Do you regret it?” Silence followed for a moment and my heart sank. I knew he was just following orders but…

“No,” he stated, pulling me out of my thoughts before I could get too deep. He shifted above me and grazed his fingers over my bruised cheek, nudging for me to look up. I did and he kissed my nose. “You make me feel a little weird. This isn’t normal and it’s not like you really want this.”

“Well, you made me feel like I did.” Shit, why did I say that?! “I take that back!” I squeaked, blushing furiously as I hid my face in his shoulder. He laughed and rubbed my back, the stubble on his chin scratching my forehead. “Sorry, fuck, this is weird. I’ve never...ugh.” My body was tense even when I tried to will it to calm the hell down. 

Danny rubbed my back gently, helping to ease the stress my body was putting itself in. “You’ve never been sexually active?” 

I buried my face in his shirt, unable to face him. I felt embarrassed as all hell and I couldn’t look him in the eye when I opened my mouth. “I’ve uh, not really been with- fucking hell, sorry.” I gripped his arm firmly, not fully sure why I felt weird telling him. It wasn’t anything to be ashamed of, but my heart was racing and my breathing was becoming erratic. Fuck, okay! I just had to let it out, all at once! “I haven’t been with anyone before!” There! Ha!

I crumpled in his arms, groaning as I gently beat my head against his shoulder. What the fuck was wrong with me!

To my relief and surprise, he didn’t pause or laugh. Danny placed his hand on the back of my head, keeping me from bumping against him as his fingers slipped through my strands. “That’s okay.” 

He didn’t need to say more, did he? I laughed weakly and sunk my fingers into his shirt, willingly keeping him close to me. “Everything is new and scary. Yeah, okay, I said it. I’m fucking scared, Danny.” 

“I know,” he replied, “but you don’t have to be. It’s just a game to him, to all of them, but you don’t have to feel the same way.”

“How do you feel? Do you want to do this? Kiss me or w-whatever the fuck all else Chase has planned?” I closed my eyes again, focusing on the slow beating of his heart. This was supposed to be a simple session, but now we were having a heartfelt conversation? Really, seriously, what did Danny want from me?

A soft sigh escaped his lips. “I don’t know. When they told me what happened, I tried to talk them out of it.” He laughed halfheartedly. “They didn’t listen so I didn’t fight it. You were so scared Sunday and a part of me knew that you weren’t experienced, weren’t ready for Chase’s stupid ideas, or his idea of a fun time. I,” he sighed again, “sorry, I’ll stop.” 

“You’re okay,” I replied, studying the fabric of his shirt. “You feel bad, I get that. You haven’t outright said it but...I can kinda tell, you know?” 

“I just don’t want any of us to do something to you that we’ll regret.” Danny pulled away from me and sat up even as his hand never left the back of my head. I looked up at him and could see the visible turmoil on his face. I wanted to help him but there wasn’t much I could say or do. He was still making his choice in the end. 

My arm laid over his legs and I sighed. “It’s fine, Danny. You’re thinking about this too hard now, it’s just a game like you said.” He wasn’t good at following his own advice, was he? “But...it’d be nice t-to know, um,” great now I needed deep breaths, “to know where we stand.”

Danny glanced down at me and smiled awkwardly. “Can fuck buddies be friends?” 

That...was a good question, actually. I shrugged and said, “I dunno, can we?” That was up to him. It wasn’t like I was quick to distrust people, but in the end, it was up to each individual to decide if they wanted to be real with me or not. 

He forced a thoughtful frown before smiling; those blue eyes of his lighting up again. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” 

“Hey, I asked first.” I playfully beat my fist on his leg and he laughed, letting go of my head and placing his hand over mine. 

“Okay, okay,” he spoke through a chuckle, “I give up. Yes, we can be friends.” 

I smirked and relaxed my hand. “Sweet.” My expression softened as I looked up at him. “Thanks for being open with me. I wasn’t expecting it.” 

“Look, one of us has to be the sensible one around here.” Danny laughed and shrugged, showing off his pearly whites in the process. “I swear, if I left those idiots alone, they might kill each other at some point.” 

“I feel that,” I replied, thinking of my own friends. God, I wouldn’t know what to do without them. “Oh, uh, speaking of.” Why didn’t I say something sooner? Right, talks about confusing relationships. “I think you owe Maria an apology for flanking her.” 

Danny nodded, his expression turning sober. “I do. I owe her more than that, but for now, I guess I should apologize. Chase isn’t the only one needing  _ ‘redemption’ _ , right?” He made quotation marks with his fingers and shook his head. “Honestly, that idiot’s gotta be flying by the seat of his pants with all of this.” 

“Probably,” I muttered, stifling a yawn. I didn’t want to think about Chase anymore; he already took up eighty percent of my thoughts as it was. “You can stay if you want, but I think I’m gonna go to bed.” Fuck food, my pillows were looking way too comfortable for me to move. 

“Of course,” He replied, rubbing the top of my head before scooting out of bed. “You’ve been overwhelmed enough and I need to shower anyway.” He then blinked. “Shit. You don’t have my number do you?” 

I shook my head. “Only Chase’s.” 

“Not anymore.” Danny grabbed a receipt that was in the pink bag and plucked a pen from my bedside table, scribbling something down on the back of the receipt before setting it and the pen down. “It’s my number if you want it.” He smiled softly at me. “Text anytime you want and I’ll answer. Before you ask, no, they don’t look at my phone often.” 

“You’re doing too much,” I muttered, unable to keep the smile off of my face. He was doing too much but damn if it didn’t make me a happy lil’ fatty. “Thanks.” 

“You’re welcome.” His smile grew as he turned to collect the toy and trash. “Sleep well, Ellie.” 

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I got under the covers and waited for him to leave. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him, but I wanted to be up in case he said anything else. But his silence told me that he’d said enough, at least for the night. I curled up to my pillows when my door finally shut, closing my eyes and relaxing. Danny’s scent was literally everywhere. It should’ve unnerved me but it calmed me in ways I didn’t understand. I opted not to try to figure out the mystery tonight. I’d had my fill of surprises and needed sleep.

All I knew was that Danny was someone I could trust...for now. 


	7. All For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If only she knew...

Saturday was ironically slow. A lot of students had probably already left the campus to live their Spring Break with high hopes and intoxicated bodies; I was still attempting to get last-minute homework finished before Monday. Granted, I could’ve crammed everything into Sunday, but I’d never been the type to forsake my homework unless I was having one hell of a lazy day. 

Once I finished dragging my ass out of bed and getting food and water in me, I plopped into my living room, nightgown still on, and worked on homework from ten to one. My back was cramped and my irritation was rising, but I’d gotten a lot done and left my homework be for the time being. I still had later in the day and the rest of tomorrow to finish everything.

College tasks aside, I still needed to check on Maria after yesterday. I meant to do it sooner but my plans had changed when Danny led the sexual session instead of Chase. I wasn’t fully over the night before either; out of nowhere, flashes of the dirty blonde’s smile and glittering blue eyes took over my thoughts. It made it hard to function like a normal person, but I shoved it to the back of my mind out of worry for my best friend. 

I slipped into a blue t-shirt with horizontal thin purple stripes and a pair of black shorts and black sandals. There wasn’t any reason to get overly dressed as usual, so I didn’t bother combing my hair, pushing it back into a messy ponytail. “Ow.” I tugged at my small ear hoops, idly wondering why I wanted these in the first place. Maybe it was to look cool? I had no idea, but they were just there. 

I grabbed my keys and shut everything off, making my way out of the building and down the sidewalk without any real rush. The sidewalks were much emptier than before and the parking lots were about the same. I slipped my hands in my pockets, enjoying the cool air and the contrast of the heat as it hit my face. 

Maria wasn’t hanging out at the cafeteria, hanging outside in the park nearby for a change in scenery. She had her friends with her, including the girl that got angry at me for pushing Chase. She gave me the stink eye out of nowhere but I ignored it, smiling wide as I sat down beside Maria. “Hey, chica.” 

“Hey.” She flopped her pretty head on my lap, sighing softly as she glanced up at me. “Oh...damn, sorry about that.” 

Confused, I asked, “Uh, sorry about what?” 

“The bruise,” she muttered, pointing up at my cheek. 

My lips widened into a smile. “It’s fine, Maria, that wasn’t your doing. It’ll go away soon.” 

Maria’s other friend, Claire, was watching us in between gaming on a portable console. She and Maria had been friends longer than Maria and I had been, but that didn’t change the dynamic of our relationship. Claire and I never really talked in person unless we were hanging out with Maria, but she was a great person to be around. Claire was skittish, curvy, and a little chubby, with wild bright brown curly hair. Her faded brown eyes added to her pretty features, and had things been different, I might’ve hit on her at some point. 

She stopped and looked at me. “You’re crazy, you know that? Maria told us what happened, and God, what I’d give to be brave like you!” She beamed as a blush appeared on her face like some anime girl. 

I grinned and shrugged. “It’s not bravery, I was being reckless. I almost didn’t help a damn thing.” My expression immediately sobered. “I need to take defense classes in the summer, getting saved like a damsel in distress isn’t my favorite pastime.”

“I bet,” Claire replied with a shake of her head. “I heard that Chase was there. What exactly happened?” 

Unsure of how much Maria wanted to be known, I glanced down at her and got her nod of approval. I rubbed the top of her head, feeling overprotective and angry all over again. “I tried to take on two assholes at once and they knocked my ass out. I don’t know why Chase and Danny were there, but they just were.” 

“Danny?” Willow questioned, finally speaking up as she gave me an odd look. “Which one is that?”

“Oh, um the one with the shaggy blonde hair.” I shrugged. “Anyway, they didn’t fight, evidently seeing Chase was enough to make them run.” 

Maria huffed. “I’d say thank you but I’m still mad with him.” She curled up and kept her head in my lap, seemingly content to lay on me. I didn’t mind this; to be honest, I welcomed it after the events of yesterday.

“I don’t blame you,” I muttered, continuing to rub her hair. “One good deed doesn’t exempt him from his bullshit. I’m still mad at him for harassing you two.” 

“We would’ve been left alone,” Willow muttered, frowning a little behind those glasses of hers. I wasn’t about to open my mouth, still firm in my belief that I’d done the right thing. It was clear to me that Maria had a lot more going on than getting frisked by the boys in the hall. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Maria muttered, finally sitting up and swaying back and forth. “Let’s talk about something else! Like, oh, break plans!” 

Claire laughed and put her game down. “I’m going to my aunt’s for the weekend, she’s got a private pool and is on break for a while.”

Maria grinned and wiggled her body excitedly. “Oooh sounds like fun! Willow, what about you?” 

The brunette shrugged and smiled. “I don’t know yet, but my parents are thinking of going to see family, so I’ll probably join them with.” 

Claire snorted. “Oh great, sounds like fun, being stuck with pretentious assholes.” 

“They aren’t that mad,” Willow muttered with a scowl. 

“Either way, I hope you have fun,” Maria chirped, now looking in my direction. “What about you Ellie? Got any plans?” 

Oh sure, just a big fuck fest where I’m sucking everyone off and getting played with like an instrument! It’s gonna be a fun time! “Not sure yet,” I said simply. “I’d like to see my bro but he’s some states away in college.” 

My friend smiled softly. “I know the brothers will be in town, but they’ll probably be out at parties and stuff. I’ll join them, but I think I’m just going to be lazy and stay home.” 

“Now that sounds like a plan!” I grinned and nudged her. “Nothing but movie marathons and endless chocolate.”

“That literally sounds like every other day for you,” Maria teased. Claire giggled and picked her game back up, flopping onto her back while Willow went back to reading whatever was on her phone. 

I’d planned on asking Maria about Andy since the twins weren’t near, but our semi-happy atmosphere was somewhat shattered. “Well look who it is, the Slushie Fatty.” 

Before I even looked up I’d opened my mouth. “Good to know we’re still in high school. On that note, you’re a plastic barbie right, fucked ten guys?” I smirked at Luke’s ex. She was glowering at me, not that I cared enough. “What do you want...fuck, I forgot your name. Sorry.” I shrugged, happy to find that I was grating under her skin. 

Maria and her friends were now sitting up and staring at the buxom brunette, all equally confused about what was going on. 

“It-It doesn’t matter.” She smirked and said, “I know what you’re doing and it won’t work. Luke and I got back together.” Well, that was going to raise some questions! I could already feel eyes on me.

“Okay.” I blinked, struggling to figure out why she cared enough to tell me. “I wish you both the best of luck.” 

“Really, that’s all you have to say? I saw the way you two were looking at each other, and I can tell you now, it was never going to work out.” She smirked and crossed her arms, pressing her breasts together so much that I thought they’d pop out of her shirt...or just pop off. Petty

“Luke tried to apologize about harassing my friend, but I’m not into him,” I fibbed, standing and patting my butt down as I glared at her. “I’m starting to worry you’ve got a bit of an inferiority complex here. And over big ole me?” 

“Over you? Please, if there were a visible representation of a walking virgin, you’d be it.” She smirked at me, painted nails tapping at her arms. “I know hungry eyes when I see it, fatty. How does it feel to be so alone all the time?” 

“It’s a preference,” I drawled, idly considering how much trouble I’d get into if I punched her. “I don’t need a man to make me feel whole, just as you didn’t need all that silicone in your breasts.” 

Her face almost turned red as she took a step forward. I was about ready to raise my fists when her friend grabbed her arm and shook her blond head. “She’s not worth it, Jessie.”

“For now,” she hissed, yanking her arm away from her friend before smiling at me. “Keep talking and see where that ugly mouth gets you. I saw your little outburst with Chase. If you think he’s going to leave you alone, you’re far from wrong.” 

I took a step forward when she did, balling up my fists as Maria stood and grabbed my arm. “You better listen to your friend and leave.” 

“Try me, bitch, and I’ll do far more damage than Chase could ever do.” Jessie, if that was her name, turned away swiftly with her friend, leaving me fuming and wishing I didn’t have an ounce of restraint left. 

My thoughts of violence were interrupted when I felt Maria’s hands put more pressure on my arm. I turned to see her shocked expression, eyes analyzing, and desperately searching for answers. “What was that about?”

“As I told her, I was sitting in the park and saw Luke running nearby. We stopped, I got angry, and he said he wanted to talk to you to apologize but didn't want to get close. I turn and Ms. High School has a fit and throws fruit juice on me.” I made a face. “She ruined my favorite light blue shirt, damn it.” 

I was calming down a little, giving Maria a reassuring smile. It convinced her to let me go and sit back down, but her eyes were still as wide as saucers. 

Willow looked like she wanted to say something but kept quiet. Claire was mildly terrified if her expression was any indication. “Why do you like angering all the scary ones? That was Jessie Williams; you know, fucking rich brat with a daddy who owns a company? She’s aiming to take his place, as she likes to brag about in the one class I share with her.” 

“She looks like another woman with self-esteem issues,” I muttered, shaking my head and leaning up against a nearby tree. “It’s whatever. This isn’t Mean Chicks and we’re both adults, and goddamn if she doesn’t get that, then I can’t help her. I can laugh at her though.” 

“Are you trying to get in more trouble?!” Willow squeaked, throwing her hands up. “Bad enough you put your hands on Chase, twice might I add, but now you’re messing with Luke and his girlfriend too?!” 

“No, I’m trying to do right by my friends.” Was Willow being serious right now?

“You can’t do that if the rich students are breathing down your neck!” Willow exclaimed, staring at me in absolute confusion. 

“Willow don’t be so harsh,” Claire tried to say, but Willow’s attention didn’t even waver from me. I could feel my anger rising again but I tried to stifle it. 

“I’m the only one actually trying to protect Maria!” Willow pointed her finger at me. “If you were serious about doing the same, you’d stop antagonizing people who could get you arrested!”

“Then where the fuck were you when Andy was attacking her?!” I tried to keep it together, but Willow was angering me. We never really talked before but I could always tell that she wanted nothing to do with me. I knew she was probably right but she was outright telling me I wasn’t being helpful at all!

“Ellie, that’s not fair,” Maria spoke up, eyes widening. I grit my teeth and tried to calm down when really I wanted to shank Willow. She didn’t even know what I was going through right now!

“No,” I spoke tightly, body trembling from my barely suppressed rage, “what isn’t fair is that Willow is making it seem like I’m making them do all this bad shit.” 

“You have zero preservation skills, none, and you’re going to get all of your friends hurt! Sometimes shutting up and looking away is the best thing you can do.” Willow’s voice softened but her words didn’t hurt any less. “Sure, maybe it seemed like a good idea at the moment, but they could be gunning for our heads as we speak.” 

“What would you have done?!” I couldn’t believe this, I couldn’t fucking believe it. Was Maria not even trying to stop her or defend me?! Her gaze kept averting and she wasn’t saying anything, and it fucking hurt. “What if you were watching Maria get frisked, what would have done? Walked away, let them continue, let them  _ touch _ her?!” 

Flashes of Luke going through with his threat was driving me wild. I had to protect her, I fucking had to, but her silence was hurting me more than she’d ever know. Did she know I was doing all of this for her, giving up my body to men I barely knew so she’d stay safe? She didn’t even try to talk about Andy; how long had they been a thing? 

I got silence from all of them, though Claire was sparing me a pitiful glance. I didn’t want pity glances, I wanted Maria to speak up and assure me that making a deal with Chase wasn’t meaningless. But she kept her lips shut. Was it confusion or uncertainty that made her quiet? Fuck it. Just...fuck it. I didn’t care anymore. 

My anger dissipated into sadness and it must’ve been visible enough because Maria had finally spoken up. “Ellie, Willow’s just scared.” 

“And you think I’m not?” She didn’t know about my situation and it was going to stay that way, especially since my intrusive thoughts were being louder than normal. 

_ ‘She’s going to drop you.’ _

_ ‘Maria would never understand you did this for her.’ _

_ ‘You’ll lose her.’  _

Her silence returned. I couldn’t take it. “Okay. I’m gonna go.” 

_ ‘You will lose her, Ells.’ _

“Ellie, wait!” 

I ignored her, shoving my hands in my pockets as I walked away from them. My body shook as I tried to control myself. I wanted to punch a tree, or Chase, or a picture of Chase on a fucking tree. This was his fault; if he wasn’t such a fucking asshole I wouldn’t be in this position, lying to Maria while simultaneously being betrayed by her. 

Reckless? Yes, I was that; I knew I acted before I thought but I was trying to protect her! Did she hate me for it? An uneven sigh escaped my lips as I struggled not to cry. I wasn’t ready to go back home, but the twins were off of campus and Maria clearly didn’t want my company right now. I had no choice but to go home.

As I walked back to my dorm in defeat, I heard familiar laughter and my eyes flickered over to my left. Chase and his friends were on the other side, chatting with people I’d never seen before. Tears that had threatened to drip from my eyes finally came down as Chase glanced at me. I turned my head quickly, wiping my eyes and holding it in. I could cry when I was behind doors. 

**-**

My sobs were almost louder than the music playing in the background. I clung to my pillow, hoping that it would be enough to calm me down, but it just made me feel lonelier. I wanted to tell the twins what had happened, but I didn’t know if they’d worsen the situation or make it better. 

At some point, I remembered that Danny had left me his number, and in a fit of overwhelming loneliness, I sent him a text and asked if he was busy. 

I was surprised to find that he answered pretty quickly. We talked about simple nothings since I didn’t exactly want to tell him what my friend was thinking about me. I trusted Danny to take care of me, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust him with anything else, at least for now. 

Our conversation dipped into the evening before I passed out from exhaustion. I couldn’t remember what I’d dreamed, but when I woke up, waves of exhaustion had hit me like a freight train. 

My phone was buzzing, which was probably the source of why I woke up. It took me a minute to answer it, glancing around and noticing that the sun had since gone down. I shook my head to try and wake up, reaching for my phone and answering it. “Mmm, hello?” I slurred. 

“Where are you?” 

I shook my head again and blinked a couple of times. “Oh, um,” I struggled to stifle a yawn and failed, “sorry, I’m in bed.” 

“Someone sounds sleepy. You should’ve set alarms, Puppy. Check the time.” 

What was he talking about? Who was he again? I yawned loudly again and checked the time on my phone. It was ten at night so why...oh. Oh. Fuck. “Chase?” I brought the phone back to my ear, waking up a little more. “Fuck, sorry. I overslept.” I slid out of bed and stumbled as I wandered about the bedroom in a sleepy haze.  _ ‘Where the hell did I put the collar?!’  _

“I’d be mad, but your voice sounds thick and slurred. You sure you ain’t been up to something else?” 

“Fuck you,” I muttered angrily, grabbing my collar off of the dresser when I stopped to glance around fully. 

“I’m trying to but you’re being a stubborn little baby about this.” 

I hung up on him, smirking sleepily as I grabbed my keys to leave the dorm. I opened the door and almost choked on air as I saw Chase standing there; taut, annoyed, and still holding his phone up to his ear. I would’ve taken pleasure in seeing his displeasure, but he was displeased with  _ me _ and that made all the difference.

He was waiting for me to move, so I did, letting him walk inside before closing the door behind him. Seriously what the fuck. Did I just cry enough to where I needed the four-hour fucking nap? I clipped the collar on around my neck after locking the door and turned, releasing a cry of surprise as Chase pinned me to the door, rattling it. He kissed me without warning, his lips bruising mine as he pressed against me. 

His hands found my wrists, slamming them over my head and onto the door as he devoured me. My nerves jolted to life and I struggled against his grip. His nails dug into my skin as he played with my lips, pulling on the lower one and sucking it before releasing and dipping his tongue into my mouth. I whined in frustration, struggling to pull my tongue from his even as he wrapped around it. 

Chase’s groans echoed through my mouth as his hips bucked against mine, showing me just how aroused he was as he continued to grind into me. Why was he so big already?! We stayed like this for gods knew how long; my desire for him was rising, my nipples rubbing against the fabric of my shirt as my body reacted to his arousal. 

When he pulled away, I was gasping for air, shutting my eyes as I squeezed my thighs together. My body was damn near on fire no thanks to his ministrations and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to kiss him or fucking kick him. 

“Not asleep now, are we,” he murmured, letting my wrists go and pulling away from me. “You’re adorable when you squirm, Puppy.” 

Barely suppressing my anger and disgust, I lowered my arms and opened my eyes to face him. He was smug as usual, dressed in a pair of black jeans and a red t-shirt. I almost opened my mouth to curse him out but held my tongue, forcing my gaze to stop glaring death into him. 

This bastard didn’t seem to care, either way, taking in my sleepy form with a smirk. “I’d have you out of your clothes by now, but you’re kinda cute in those bedtime booty shorts of yours.” I scowled again; I’d gotten dressed in an undershirt and short shorts, having spaced that I’d have to deal with this asshole every night until he decided he wanted a break from me. 

He flicked on the overhead light and wandered over to one of my couches, nudging the table to the side and plopping on the one in front of the dinner table. “Get on your knees and come here Puppy.” 

I held my tongue and got on my knees, crawling to him and stopping right at his knees. He ruffled my hair and muttered, “Good girl. Get on my lap.” I got up and straddled him, unable to help the blush coloring my cheeks. He reached up, caressing my cheek as his emerald eyes wandered. He then frowned and nudged my head to the left. I still had the bruise though it was fading fast.

“Andy did that?” 

“His goon did,” I replied, barely wincing as his fingers grazed it. “It’s no big deal, I’ve taken bigger punches before.” 

He hummed but said nothing, cupping my chin and turning my head to face him. “I don’t like it when someone touches what’s mine.” 

Great, so I was a toy now. His expression was relaxed but I could see the fire in his eyes. Either he liked to be possessive or he was genuinely angry. I couldn’t tell, and frankly, I was too tired to try.

“I’m fine,” I insisted. 

“Was that why you were crying earlier?” His grip on my chin tightened, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep me where I was. “I don’t give a fuck about whether or not you like me, Ellie, but you damn well better be honest with me. Good girls don’t lie to their Masters, now do they?” 

“No,” I muttered, relaxing only when he let my chin go. “You make it hard, to be honest.”

“Why, because I infuriate you?” Chase smirked. “Play coy all you want, but I know you’re angry with me. I like it that way, makes it much more fun to play with you.” His hands came down and rested on my hips as he ground against me. I stifled a gasp as my fists tightened, saying nothing as he started rocking his hips up against mine. “Tell me Puppy, what’s going on in that pretty mind of yours?”

“You’re an asshole,” I hissed, suppressing another gasp when his hips bucked particularly hard into me. 

“Good girl,” he muttered, leaning up and kissing me deeply. “But you’re not going to stop me, now are you? You’re going to take this torture, like a good little dog, because you know who owns you.” He continued to rock into me, brushing the hardened fabric of his pants against the soft cotton of my shorts. There was nothing stopping him from brushing against my clit and I fucking hated it. “Tell me more, Ellie,” he breathed against my lips. 

“Fuck you,” I snapped, yelping when he slapped my ass and kissed me again. I didn’t fight him even as my fists tightened hard enough to crack my knuckles. He continued to grind, kneading my asscheeks as he continued to press his lips against mine repeatedly like a hungry animal. My heart was beating wildly and my hips jerked and twitched. Chase pulled back and paused to lift my shirt, tugging it off of me and pulling me back down to kiss him. 

I returned his heated kisses with my angry ones, mewling into his mouth when he attacked my ass again. His fingers found the edges of my shorts and started tugging them down as much as he could, exposing my fat ass to the world as his nails dug in. I pulled back to gasp for air and he attacked my neck, kissing and licking it. “Wait,” I pleaded, scared that he’d leave a mark. 

“Quiet,” he commanded, kissing my neck again. “I’m not stupid, Puppy, so do me a favor and act like you know that.” He then pulled back and waved his hand. “Get up and take the rest of it off.” I scowled but didn’t defy him, getting off the couch and taking off my shorts and underwear. My skin was feeling warmer than normal and his gaze wasn’t doing anything to help that. 

Chase smiled and wiggled his first finger for me to get closer. I did, gasping when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. “Sit back down, Puppy. We aren’t done yet.” I figured since my clothes were off, but I didn’t openly say that retort, straddling him again as I placed my hands on the edge of the couch on either side of his face. 

A part of me expected him to immediately go for a body part or start kissing me again but he just...sat there. He sat and watched me with a smile on his face. Why wasn’t he telling me to do anything? I thought I was going to have to suck him off or get punished for sleeping late...what was he up to?

His smile disappeared as he reached up, rubbing just under my eye. “Why were you crying?” 

“Does it matter to you?” 

“It does.” 

“Why?” Chase just wanted me as a sex doll. In the back of my mind, I remembered him saying that he wanted my heart and body...and that he wanted to break both. Fat fucking chance; Chase was never going to have my heart. 

He smiled. “What would I possibly do with that information? Danny told me about your reaction to taking pictures of you. It’s kinda cute.” 

My fingers dug into my couch as I considered headbutting him then and there. “Fuck you, Chase.” 

Chase clicked his tongue, reaching up and gripping my hair, yanking my head back as he shook his head. “That’s not my name, Puppy. What’s my name?” 

_ ‘I want to murder, God please look away just this once.’ _ “Master,” I hissed through gritted teeth.

“Good girl,” he purred, leaning up and kissing up and down my neck slowly. I refused to melt against him, forcing my breaths to steady as his tongue darted out and tasted my skin. “I agree with the safeword; we’re all adults here and I need to know when you’re about to break down but try not to abuse it, yeah? You still have a deal to keep.” I had already expected this and tried to mentally adjust, even as my mind screamed to say it now. Chase was too close, he was always too fucking close to me. 

“Now that we’re behaving again, I need you to do something for me.” He leaned back, letting my hair go. “Unzip my pants and pull it out. I want to see what you learned.” 

I slid off wordlessly, steadying both my hands and breath as I unzipped him. I wasn’t surprised to find his massive penis springing forward. It really was a magnificent cock, even if it was attached to the worst person in forever. Chase had leaned back and relaxed, hands folded behind his head as he waited. 

His smell hit me and my mouth started to water. That was...concerning. It wasn’t like I wanted to give him a blowjob!

Ignoring my thoughts before they became conflicting, I leaned in and kissed his cock, getting used to his smell again since I’d only tasted it once. Danny’s was much more inviting compared to his; Chase might actually dislodge my jaw. 

I started slow, licking, and kissing the sides as I slowly made my way up. Remembering where the nerves were, my tongue darted out, flicking against the underside of the head. He flinched and I smirked, focusing on the underside and the head before sucking at the top. He throbbed against my lips and I couldn’t help but feel a small surge of pride run through me. Asshole or not, he was aroused and damn well couldn’t deny it. 

I continued to work on his dick before adjusting to finally take him in my mouth. Hearing him exhale in pleasure did weird things to my body and mind as I started sucking on him, remembering the tips Danny gave me as my tongue rubbed and wiggled against his shaft. 

He was bigger than Danny though, and my jaw hurt from trying to give him head, but I stayed where I was and used my hands for what I couldn’t fit into my mouth. I was focused on my task, moving fast and then slow, pulling back to give special attention to the head before giving his shaft more attention. 

Chase couldn’t stay quiet and his cock didn’t stop throbbing; I knew that he was getting closer every time he flinched or his breath hitched. It made my chest swell with pride as I looked up at him with a big stupid grin on my face, tongue dragging up and down his length. He was either too into it to notice or thought nothing of it, but his face stayed contorted, hips bucking now and then. 

Seeing Chase squirm the way he made me squirm made all of this worth it. I went back to sucking him off with the intent to make him cum. I wasn’t going to pull back either; if he wanted me to drink every drop then fuck it, I was going to! When his hips bucked again, I moaned, shocking myself and pulling Chase out of his daze. “Mmm, someone’s enjoying themselves.” 

I lifted my head to try and defend myself but he placed his hand on my head, keeping me down. “Fuck, finish the job Puppy.” 

I whimpered, bobbing my head as I sucked and rubbed his cock. My body pressed against him, breasts barely touching his balls as he kept throbbing violently inside me. He groaned and bucked his hips once, twice, three times, keeping at it and fucking my face as I lowered onto him. 

He stopped moving and I knew what was coming, bracing my body as he spilled his seed into my mouth. I almost choked, struggling to swallow what I could as his semen pooled into my mouth. I drank and watched him as he watched me, breathing unevenly as his hand didn’t leave my head. Only when I stopped swallowing did he release me. I came up and gasped for air, pressing my face against his cock as I caught my breath. I couldn’t help myself and threw a smirk in his direction. “H-How’s that?” 

My expectations were for him to get annoyed or irritated with me, but he looked rather proud. “Pretty good, Puppy.” He petted me and grinned. “You seem pretty proud of yourself. Pretty amusing considering you don’t like this kind of thing.” 

Are you shitting me?! “I-I’m not,” I tried to say, only for him to place a finger on my lips. He then rubbed them with his thumb, his smirk never leaving his stupid fucking face. 

“You can’t lie to me, Ellie. The way you smirked and went down on me...Goddamn, I knew you could do more than talk with that mouth of yours.” 

I blushed and looked away, unable to defend myself. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy making him feel good but there was no fucking way I’d ever say that to him. He moved and I watched as he tucked his package back inside his pants, zipping up and patting his groin. “Look at that. I’m all satisfied. What about you?” 

“Bite me.” 

“You said it would leave a mark so I’m trying to behave.” He grinned, amused with my irritation. “Stand up for me and spread your legs.” 

What was he up to now? I stood up and tried to wake my sleeping legs. I ignored the pain as I spread my legs enough, watching him hesitantly. Chase leaned forward and reached out, pressing his first and middle finger against my entry. I bit my lip and said nothing, shuddering when they entered me. He then pulled them out and held his fingers up to my face. “You’re fucking wet from this. Did you know that?” 

“I didn’t notice,” I lied. Fuck him, I refused to admit to shit.

“I’m sure you didn’t,” he muttered, lowering his hand and slipping his fingers back in. I twitched but didn’t react even as his fingers started to churn inside me. Chase’s gaze never pulled from me, moving his fingers and getting a breathy whimper out of me in response. “You’re a terrible liar. You feel it, Ellie, just like you felt it the first time.” He stood but never moved his hand, bringing his other hand to the back of my head. 

I twitched and my lips pressed into a thin line as his fingers parted and scissored inside me. My thighs twitched but I held my ground. His thumb found my clit and he stroked it, sending my body rigid. “S-Stop.” I sounded whiny...needy. 

He smirked as his fingers churned faster inside me, thumb continuing to stroke my clit. “Why? Are you feeling it, Ellie? You feel my fingers fucking you the way my cock wants to?” His voice had lowered, eyes capturing mine. “Does it feel good, Puppy?” 

“N-No,” I whimpered, shuddering and gasping when his thumb moved faster. 

“Good girls don’t lie,” he reminded me, fingering me faster. My legs started to quiver and I was starting to wonder if I was going to cave. “I’ll ask again: Does it feel good?” 

“Yes,” I keened, struggling to stand upright as his thumb tortured the pink nub. I shut my eyes tight and struggled to breathe right. His fingers, God his fingers were incredible. He knew where to rub and churn and it was driving me nuts! “It feels good, Master.” 

Chase groaned and fingered me faster. “I want you to cum on my fingers, Puppy. Can you do that for me?” 

I panted, struggling to think straight as his fingers moved. I wanted to cum,  _ fuck _ ! “Please let me cum, I-I need it!” I didn’t know if he was asking for permission, but I wanted to feel it! I wanted it to end!

“Such a good girl,” he muttered, kissing my shoulder as he put more focus on my clit. My pussy tightened and I gasped, legs shaking as he pushed me to the edge. “ _ Fuck _ , you’re clinging hard, Ellie. Tell me you like this or I’ll take them out.” 

“N-no, please!” I panted, body pressing up against his as I sought release. “I-I love this, I love your fingers so much!” I just wanted to cum! “Please don’t stop!”

His fingers left mine and for a moment I almost cried, only for my arms to wrap around Chase, my jaw dropping as he focused entirely on my clitoris. I broke and stifled a sob, climaxing on his hand as he continued to twiddle my clit. He didn’t stop and let it drag out. 

I was lost. 

My legs almost caved but he stopped and let me rest. I continued to cling to him, breathing unevenly as I tried to use my legs. He chuckled, kissing my forehead and turning us to where he could sit me on the couch. “Still with me Puppy?” I whimpered in response, pressing my legs together as I caught my breath. He was staring me down, jaw ticking even as he smiled. “You almost look tortured.” 

He wasn’t wrong. Even though I had my climax, I felt empty inside. It was an awful feeling and for a sick moment, a part of me wanted him to bury himself inside me.  _ ‘No,’ _ I chastised my stupid horny head,  _ ‘fuck no.’ _ I tried to convince myself that I didn’t want him, but I did. 

Watching him as he cleaned his fingers was one of the hottest things I’d seen him do. His tongue rubbed up against his fingers and I had to look away, scared that I’d make strange noises or do something else I’d regret. 

He touched my shoulder and I yelped, glancing up at him in surprise. “Easy,” he muttered, handing me my pajamas. I took them shakily, putting them back on as I did my best to ignore the need building inside of me. I finished getting dressed but didn’t move from the couch, too tired to try that yet. Chase sat on the other couch, watching me quietly. What was going on in his head? Was he thinking of other ways to defile me or was he just proud of the mess he’d just made out of me?

Chase was impossible to figure out and I was too busy coming down from my sexual high to care enough. I closed my eyes and slumped, idly considering falling asleep then and there. 

“Come on.” 

I opened my eyes and looked up at Chase, who was standing up and holding his hand out to me. I numbly took his hand and he pulled me up on his feet. He turned off the light and pulled me to my room, gesturing for me to get in bed. I took his offer and got in, slipping under my covers and expecting him to leave me like that. 

Chase had disappeared from view, but it wasn’t because he’d left the room. Instead, he went to the other side of the bed, and I heard shuffling before he slipped under the covers. I tensed up and tried to turn around, but he wrapped his arms around my waist, pinning my back to his chest. “Go to sleep.” 

Did he really expect me to be able to sleep with him in bed, while he was naked to boot?! I struggled in his grasp but he just tightened his arms around me. I slumped and gave up, huffing loudly and struggling to get comfortable in the position he had me. He hummed in satisfaction and kissed the back of my head. “Get some rest,” he said, more softly this time. 

I frowned and closed my eyes, finding it surprising that I wasn’t unnerved enough to be wide awake. His warmth was strangely welcomed despite how cold he normally is to me. “I’ll...try.” I wasn’t making any promises. But...he did feel really nice. I closed my eyes and expected a fight. Instead, I found it harder to think….harder to hate his hold on me. Exhaustion swept over me and I was asleep almost instantly. 


	8. Testy, Testy, That Ellie

Strong arms pulled me closer and I sighed in content, happy to be in a warm, sweet embrace...until it occurred to me whose arms were wrapped around me. I made a strangled noise and tried to get away from Chase, but instead, he held me tighter. 

“Fucking, ugh, let me go,” I grumbled, raising my hands to push him away. 

“No.” 

Was this bastard trying to test my patience again? I gritted my teeth and tried a second time to push him away. Chase was built like a rock, firm in the pecs, and everywhere else. His eyes didn’t open and his face scrunched and contorted, giving me the indication that he wasn’t quite awake himself. 

Fucking idiot. I grunted and beat his chest. “Let me go, asshole.” I had no idea what time it was, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if I’d slept in late; Chase was good for exhausting me to every degree. He grunted again before finally opening his eyes, glancing down at me tiredly before blinking another few times to clear the sleepy from his eyes. 

The man then smirked and held me tighter instead. “Good morning, Ellie.” God, the way my name dripped from his voice. Sometimes he made it hard to hate him, just a little. I would’ve flopped if I wasn’t already trapped in bed with him. “Sleep well?” 

“I’m sure you’d like to know.” I shifted and finally pulled away from him, grateful to be away from the nice warm scent he gave off. I yawned and ruffled my messy curly hair, muttering incoherently about getting it brushed. As far as I knew, I was on the last day of turning in homework before Spring Break began. I had to crunch in some time to get whatever was left done. Thankfully, it wasn’t too much- I was bound to regret those words, I was sure, but it was better than the normal load I had to deal with. 

The bed creaked as Chase moved behind me, slipping out and groaning. I rolled my eyes at the suggestive sounds he was making and turned my head a little to look at him. His back was incredibly sculpted with a few scars here or there. Was that because he had that typical hard life or was it because he simply liked to work out? I’d never ask any of those questions but a part of me was still interested in what he did aside from harassing me every moment he could. 

“See something you like?” 

Typical. I glared at him and said, “Yeah, I see my doorway with you walking out of it.” 

Chase playfully winced, raking his fingers through his short blonde hair. “I guess I didn’t leave enough of an impression on you last night, huh?” 

“Not even close.” I stood up and stretched as well, plucking my phone from the floor- how the hell did it even get there -and checking the time. It wasn’t quite noon so I had time to prep myself and get to work. My fingers went through random notifications and even though I tried to not think about it, not seeing any from Maria bothered me. 

Not even an apology?   
I’d almost forgotten that I wasn’t alone when Chase had pulled up his pants; the black jeans wrinkled and then tightened, hugging his body snugly as he buttoned and zipped up. I chastised myself for keeping eyes on him when I should’ve been looking away, idly wondering why he hadn’t called me out for my shit yet. 

My eyes flickered upward and I noticed how distant his gaze was. I couldn’t tell if he was frowning but whatever was going through his head must’ve been not so pretty. It was gone as soon as I saw it and he looked at me and smirked. “I’m starting to think you don’t hate this situation as much as you want to believe.” 

Every sentence that popped into my mind would’ve just egged him on, so I shook my head and considered my options for the day. 

A knock on the front door echoed throughout the entire house, stilling both my thoughts and movements. Well. Fuck. Chase finished putting his shirt on but he didn’t say anything, glancing at me with a raised eyebrow. I shook my head, pressing a finger to my lips. 

Chase didn’t exactly look like he wanted to be caught with me just yet and that was fine. I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves as I walked out of my bedroom, calling out, “I’m coming!” Chase’s faint snicker could be heard from where I was standing and all at once I wanted to kill him again. 

A familiar face with purple dreadlocks was standing at the doorway when I glanced through the peephole and I smiled wide upon opening the door. “Hey!” 

“Sup!” Ten grinned and hugged me. “Why is it everything Jack and I leave for a day, y’all explode?” 

“It’s not like I ask for that shit to happen.” I giggled and pulled away from him, shutting the door and glancing at the bedroom door. I hoped to God Chase would stay in there; if he knew what was good for him, he’d stay the fuck out of sight. I turned my attention back to Ten and asked, “How did yesterday go?” 

“‘Bout as well as you’d expect,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. “Ma got mad at me for dyeing my hair.” That didn’t surprise me; Ten and Jack’s dad was a relaxed, gentle kind of man who wanted his sons to explore themselves while their mom was a little more rigid about their choices. Ten decided to dye his dreadlocks purple; must’ve sent her stress skyrocketing. 

Still, that didn’t keep the giggles from escaping my lips as I gestured to the couch. “When will your mom learn that you and Jack are grown-ass men who can do what they like?” 

“When her _‘grown-ass men’_ start paying for college on their own,” Ten said with a big grin on his face. “S’all good, let her cool down a bit and things will be back to normal.” 

“I hope so,” I agreed, shaking my head in exasperation. “Did Jack send you here?” 

“Yeah,” he replied, his expression sobering. “Maria told us about what happened.” 

This didn’t surprise me. Ten and Jack were great at making situations less tense but more than that, they understood Maria and me more than anyone else did. Still, the lump in my throat built up and my fingers started nervously messing with the undershirt I wore. “Do you agree with her?” Fuck, I didn’t want to talk about this with Chase in the other room!

Ten watched me closely before shrugging. “I don’t think that matters. Sorry, Jack might have something more insightful to say, but I just think the whole thing is stupid. You’re trying to protect her and Willow’s being an ass about it.” He chuckled and added, “I bet she wishes she had the backbone you do, Ellie.” 

“But that backbone keeps fucking me up,” I admitted, grimacing as I said it. “I don’t want to admit that. I just wanted to help.” 

“You did,” he pointed out, “Chase talked to ya, didn’t he? I think he’s still a shithead, but I haven’t heard any rumors of him doing stupid shit, so maybe you did more than you think.” 

“Maybe,” I muttered, biting my lower lip nervously. Quick to change the subject, I sat down on the other couch and asked, “So, what are you doing here then?” I was used to him chatting with me about this over text; Jack was more inclined to show up at my door than Ten was, so this was a nice surprise. 

“I can break society’s standards sometimes, can’t I?” He snickered and said, “Naw, Jack was in the middle of an online test so I opted to come here myself. Look at me, being the better twin for once.” 

I snorted and rolled my eyes, giggling despite myself. “Oh shut up. Are you guys planning a group study?” 

Ten leaned back and chuckled. “That’s the only fucking way I’m getting any of this shit done. We planned on meeting at Maria’s dorm.” 

“And you want me to come with?” 

“Heh, yes? What kind of question is that?” Ten shook his head at me. “You got me twisted, sis. I don’t care how Maria feels about you in particular right now, but a study session before Spring Break arrives would be nice.” He stretched and grinned. “Besides, I need someone to convince me not to willingly flunk a test.” 

“Please don’t do that,” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. Oh, I see, he was trying to be a headache too!

He laughed and waved me away, standing up and rubbing his shoulder. “I’ll consider it if I see you in a little while, how about that?” 

“Blackmailing me?” I fake gasped and held my hands to my chest like a distraught anime girl. “I-I can’t believe you, Ten. You’d hurt my feelings like this?” I faked sniffles and he laughed in response, punching me on the shoulder. “Ow, hey!” 

“Oh come on, it wasn’t even that hard!” He threw his hands up and I laughed. It didn’t, but seeing his reactions were priceless. “Ah-ha, I knew you could smile for real!” 

I giggled and half-glared at him. “I have been smiling for real, the fuck you mean?” 

Ten chuckled and shrugged. “You expect me not to notice? Look, it’s fine, I’m not finna tease you about it. I know you’re taking what Maria did to heart.” 

I was, though I wasn’t about to open my mouth and prove him right. Instead, I shrugged and said, “Maybe. Sure, I’ll come over, just text me when? Oh, and give me enough time to get dressed.” 

He snickered, brown eyes practically sparkling. “Sure, sure.” Ten walked over to the front door and opened it Before whipping around and pausing. “Where’d you get the new collar? It looks nice.”

The collar. The collar? _Fuck!_ “O-oh, this? Spicy Topic, or someplace else.” I giggled to hide my nervousness even though I was fucking flipping out inside! How could I have forgotten to take it off?!

“Sweet shit,” Ten replied with a grin. “Oh, just so we’re clear. Maria doesn’t know you’re coming, so do you want me to let her know?”

“Please?” I was grateful for the abrupt change in the subject; any longer and I’d look flush and guilty if I hadn’t already. “The last thing I need is to see her scrambling to say sorry.” 

“She’s gonna scramble anyway,” he pointed out with a chuckle, waving me away as he walked out. “See you in a bit, Ells.” 

“Later.” I shook my head and exhaled after he walked out and shut the front door. Fuck, that was close! I was so used to Ten’s presence that the collar around my neck almost seemed normal. I needed the sense of normality that came with Ten, now more than ever; he wasn’t as stoic or intimidating as his brother, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if this was intentional, coming from him. 

The twins used to be interchangeable with how they functioned, but that was back then. Now, anyone could tell just by looking at them. I couldn’t help the smile lifting my features. Honestly, what would I do without the twins?

Shuffling behind me stirred me from my thoughts as I turned to face Chase, who was scrolling through his phone before slipping it into his pocket. “Issues with your friend?” The taunt in his voice made me grit my teeth, but I ignored the provoke and instead shrugged. 

“Nothing I can’t handle,” I replied coolly, taking note of the curiosity piqued on his face. _‘Too fucking bad,’_ I thought with a smug smile. I wasn’t about to give him shit if he didn’t figure it out for himself. “You should go.” 

“I should,” he echoed, stifling a yawn and walking past me. I sighed and took the collar off, not mentally ready to face the homework I had left but knowing I couldn’t ignore it forever. Social workers saw no light of day, right?

“You need to be more careful than that.” Chase’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts but I didn’t turn, even as I felt his presence closing in on me. I didn’t respond to his lips grazing my neck or the erection pressing against my backside. “Give me your collar, Ellie.” 

I opened my palm to him and turned when he backed up, watching as he slipped it in his pocket. “I’ll keep it with me, for now, to keep this from happening again.” His emerald eyes narrowed as he studied me. “We don’t need this getting out, now do we?” 

“By all means, keep it with you,” I grumbled, crossing my arms loosely as I glared at the stupid thing. “It saves me the headache.” 

He smirked and turned to finally leave my dorm room. I waited for him to leave when something dawned on me. “Wait.” I approached him and placed my hand on the door, shutting it and catching him off guard. “What are you planning for spring break?” 

“I- what?” He shifted back but there was nowhere to go, and his back pressed against the door. 

I hadn’t meant to trap him, physically at least, so I took a step back and messed with the brown strands of my hair. Ignoring the smug remarks building in the back of my mind, I frowned and repeated, “What are you doing for spring break?” 

Chase’s lips quirked as he considered my question. “You’re adjusting to your role well, aren’t you Puppy?” 

Maybe I should’ve taken that chance to be smug. “I’m asking because I want to visit my family at some point.” My brother would’ve been on a break from college as well, and after the bullshit Chase has been putting me through, I could use a different setting at this point. “It’d be nice to know ahead of time when you feel like fucking with me.”

He paused and I blinked. He didn’t know what to do, did he? Like Hell I was going to miss this chance! “So,” I began with a smirk on my face, “something tells me you didn’t put spring break into thought.” 

Chase’s expression darkened as he took a step forward. “Are we getting cheeky, Ellie?” When he was unsettled or angry enough, I could hear his American accent fade away, making way for the English twang. It was both amusing and kind of hot. 

I leaned forward and tilted my head. “No, I’m just stating the obvious, Chase. I get if the blonde part of you doesn’t understand.” 

Oooh, I was getting under his skin! He bristled and clicked his tongue. “I wonder what it takes to break that sass of yours, Puppy. It’s getting annoying.” 

“Your lack of a plan is getting annoying,” I spat, lowering my arms to glare at him. “What if I just got up and decided to stay at my parents' house the whole time, would you track me?” I smiled despite my anger. “You’ve got a funny sense of when to start and stop things, Chase. Get out of my dorm.” 

“No.” He stepped forward and I jerked away from his touch. I wasn’t sure if it was the way his expression changed from a glare to something predatorial, or if it was how he reached out to me, but I was immediately put in a fight or flight mode. Chase almost charged me and my back hit the wall before I realized it. 

His hand slammed to the side of my head as he hovered over me, breath tickling my forehead. “I’m starting to think you’re forgetting your place, Puppy. Again.” He gripped my jaw harshly and dove in for a rough kiss. I kept my hands at my sides, taking breaths as I could while he stole my tongue with his. 

This wouldn’t affect me, I wouldn’t let it! I tensed my body and kept trying to pull back, but he had the back of my head pinned to the wall; there was no pulling away from him as he tongue-fucked my mouth. I felt his hand travel down, fingers beginning to slip through my shorts to-

His phone rang out and we paused. Chase barely parted from my lips, hesitating almost before moving away from me entirely. My body weighed in disappointment. Wait, fuck, why?! I didn’t want him near me at all! I shook my head free and focused on Chase before my mind got too conflicted. 

The bastard pulled his phone out, staring at it for a moment in disgruntled disgust before answering. “Yes?” His tone stayed English and his stance was almost as tense as mine. “I had no plans to, no. Why?” Whoever was on the other line sounded irritated with him. “I already have- what? No, I’m not.” He exhaled sharply, tsking as he grew further agitated. 

I could’ve moved from the wall at this point, maybe go get dressed or take shelter in my room, but I stayed. Me aside, I didn’t know anyone else who got under his skin enough to make him angry. Stupid as it was, I was taking a little enjoyment from seeing him so riled up and so subdued at the same time. Was he speaking with an adult figure?

“Yes, of course. Goodbye.” He hung up and snarled like an animal. I opened my mouth and then closed it, deciding not to provoke him further. The caller had done more than enough to upset him. Chase glanced at me hungrily but didn’t advance, shoving the phone back in his pocket. “Saved by the bell,” he teased, flashing me a vile smile. “I’ve run out of time, Ellie.” 

Huh? I blinked in confusion, watching as he turned and approached the door. “Um…” I held my tongue, realizing that prodding him about the phone call probably wasn’t the best idea. Even stupider, I wanted to ask if he was okay. Did I care enough to ask that? Maybe; the question almost slipped past my lips. 

The blonde fucker turned his head to shoot me a tired expression. “Good luck with your studying.” He opened up the door, and after looking left and right, walked out and shut the door behind him, leaving me stumped and confused more than I was prior. 

What the fuck was that about? Expectations aside, Chase was leaving me confused, horny, and in need of a goddamn break from him already, and it hadn’t even been two weeks yet! “Good God,” I muttered, slouching against the wall and rubbing my forehead. Was he charming me with a dizzy spell or was he unintentionally giving me the runaround? Did he do this to every woman he met or was I just the exception? 

That was too much to think about. Chase was taking up more headspace than I had, and I had a lot of shit due before the day was over. I needed to get ready and focus on the tasks ahead of me, even as my thighs rubbed together needily. 

He had the worst timing ever.

**-**

I was prepped and ready to meet my friends before Ten contacted me. Even though I was nervous about seeing Maria again, I knew it was better to face her than avoid confrontation. She was my friend after all. I wiggled my nose, sighing wistfully at the lack of a nose ring before slipping on a lavender t-shirt, tan khakis, and sports sandals. I needed to make a mental note to get it back sometime during spring break. 

Standing in front of my friend’s dorm room was harder than I thought it would be. I didn’t know if Maria was still angry at me or not, and I was too nervous to ask. Still, I’d rather know than stand at her door feeling like an idiot. I knocked a few times and waited, giving my brightest smile as Jack opened the door. 

“Sup fool.” 

“Ey, I hope you brought the right math book this time.” The lip piercing almost glinted as he grinned, and he stepped to the side to let me inside. I ignored his taunt and glanced inside, noting that Maria was sitting next to her friend Claire while they worked. There was another; the same classmate from before during my first real exposure to Chase and his crew. 

Nets, as she went by, glanced up at me with a bright smile. She had tanned skin and freckles scattered along her cheeks, with large circle classes that sat on her nose cutely. Her hair was short and straight, dyed a prune-like purple, and pulled up into a messy pigtail as she worked. 

Maria’s head lifted and her lips pressed into a thin line. I shot a half-smile and walked inside, waving and walking over to her couch where Ten was sitting. “Hey,” I finally spoke up. 

“Hey.” Maria’s voice was friendly even as she avoided my gaze. I thought her actions a little strange. Did she not expect me to come over? I glanced at Ten, who’d given me a confused look as well. 

Jack broke the silence as he cleared his throat and shut the door. “Ellie, when you’re done with the book, can you hand it over to Ten?” 

“Fuck, please? I don’t know where the hell I placed mine.” He wiggled his dark fingers and added, “Don’t make me get grabby!” 

“I’d rather you try to snatch it instead of making another failed attempt at puppy eyes,” I spoke with a giggle, handing him my algebra book. “Please don’t tell me you lost your calculator too.” 

“So little faith,” Ten pouted, his voice elevating as he playfully whined. 

“You lost your shit, she’s got a right to ask,” Jack deadpanned, shaking his head at his twin. Unlike Ten, Jack had his locks tied in a loose bun to keep his hair out of the way. 

I threw a smirk in Ten’s direction before opening up my laptop. I had too many quizzes and an essay to worry about his teasing. We got to work silently and for the next hour, all I heard were scribbles, grunts of frustration, and the clacking of keys. Nets eventually scooted over to me and we worked on Spanish together, struggling to vocalize the way we needed to. 

Aside from offhanded comments from Claire and Ten, there was no chatter for at least another hour. Jack then closed his book and took his hair down, raking his hands through the thick locks. “Break time.”

“Break time?” Ten chirped, immediately shoving the books onto the floor as he got up. “Thank fuck! I was waiting for someone to say it!” 

“Some of us like finishing something before taking a break,” Claire teased, causing Ten to fluster and go quiet. I giggled and saved my work, closing my laptop so I could get up and stretch. I finished two quizzes and one assignment, which was far more than I was hoping for. 

“I’ll make us sandwiches,” Maria spoke up, setting her homework down to get up. 

There was my chance! “I’ll help,” I offered, giving my friend a sheepish smile. She returned the same kind of smile, leading the way into her small and semi-messy kitchen. I barely heard the idle chatter behind me as I set about washing plates as she aimed for the bread. My mind raced with an idea of what to say, but what could I say? _‘Sorry for trying to protect you’?_

First with Chase, then with Andy. I just wanted to keep her safe, she’d already been through enough because of her family. Was I making it worse for her? Did she really want me to stay quiet? I bit my lip and glanced at her, noting how tense she was and how pressed her lips were. 

I guess that settled that. I’d already had my crying fit the day before but my chest still tightened all the same. Alright. Okay. If that was really how it was, then I had two choices. Stand my ground or make her feel comfortable. I turned off the water and sighed, turning around to apologize.

“I’m sorry.” 

Maria beat me to it. My eyebrows raised as I stared at her. “I, uh, what?” 

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, wringing her hands together nervously. “I know I was unfair with you about the whole Chase situation and I’m sorry. All you’ve been trying to do is protect me, right?” 

“Would I be willingly throwing myself in the way of stupid men?” I retorted, wincing immediately after. “Wait, shit, sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” she assured me, giggling and hugging me tightly. “You need to stop taking care of me!” 

“I can’t rely on the twins to make sure you’re okay,” I teased, smirking in their direction. 

“I take offense!” Ten shouted, shaking his fist and not getting up to do shit about it. Jack chuckled and didn’t indulge, going back to scrolling through his phone. Maria grinned and let me go, turning back to pull out condiments from the fridge. 

Finally letting go of a breath of relief, I leaned up against the counter and tilted my head back. “Ugh, I hate biology.”

“You need to get yourself a tutor,” Maria remarked, turning and placing a jar of mayo on the table. “Maybe there’s a classmate that could help you understand the content?” 

The first name that popped into my head had my stomach feeling fluttery. “I might know someone,” I said, leaving it at that with a secretive smile on my face. Maria didn’t press and instead waved me over to help make sandwiches. I glanced over to my friends and classmate, and they were lax and chatting a little louder now, though the twins kept gazing in our direction. 

I knew they were worried about us, but if Maria’s apology told them anything, it was that we’d be alright. All that was left was to figure out if Danny could help me with my biology after spring break because otherwise, I was about to be in big trouble. 

**-**

The sun was down by the time we finished dealing with homework. I cried twice, Maria cried three times, Claire stepped outside the dorms to vape her stress away and Jack ran through his entire pack of gum to chew away curses. It was grueling...but we did it. We fucking did what we set out to do and got our homework done, before midnight at that. 

Nets, Ten, and Claire were about ready to riot and were the first ones to leave, but not before Nets nudged me playfully. “We should do this again.” 

“I’m gonna need all the help I can get,” I admitted sheepishly, groaning as I stretched and popped my back. My bag was all packed up and ready to go, and Jack was all ready to go.

Speaking of, the lank nerd came over and hugged me tightly. “Ten will probably stop by in the morning to hug you, he’s just tired as all hell right now.” 

I didn’t blame him. “It’s okay.” I rested my head on his shoulder, taking comfort in his warm hug before pulling back and nudging him. “Try not to let your mom drive you nuts.” 

“She’ll be happier to have us under the roof, from the way things are looking.” He chuckled and hugged Maria. “You two be safe, see you back in Hell in a week.” 

“I’ll drink to that,” Maria spoke with a giggle, blushing and messing with her blond strands. I raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing, waving at Jack. “Don’t die without us!” 

“Not a chance!” Jack untied his lock bun and left, shutting the door behind him. 

Opting on rolling my eyes, I turned back to Maria and said, “And then there were two.” 

She smiled and leaned against the counter. “Yeah, just two. So um...Ellie? I think I’m going back to my aunt’s house for spring break. After the whole thing with Andy, I just,” she waved her hand, “I need a break from this place.” Her eyes were scanning for assurance. “Are you...mad at me?” 

“Not at all,” I assured her, standing next to her and resting my head on her shoulder. “You know I love you. I just worry about you, that’s all.” 

“I know,” she replied, leaning her head on mine for a minute. I enjoyed this moment, knowing that I’d be on my own for the rest of the week. I was hoping to have the company of a friend while dealing with Chase and crew, but that wasn’t to be.

After a few moments of silence, I lifted my head and hugged her one more time. “See you next week?” 

“Yeah.” Maria watched as I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my bags. “Love you, sis.” 

“Love you too, dork.” I earned a giggle and grinned, walking out of her dorm. “Then it was just me,” I muttered, adjusting my bag as I walked down the hall. She lived on the first floor, so it didn’t take me long to make it outside. The sky was filled with dark purple and blue hues in the sky, and the streetlights along the sidewalk had turned on. 

I loved this time of night. The air was somewhat cool and there was a light draft, and the sidewalks had mostly emptied. Just by glancing around, I could tell a lot of students had left their dorms; the number of dark windows told me as much. Now that I was finished with any lingering homework, there was still one problem I had to deal with. 

_Chase_

Whatever he was trying to do earlier, he was going to aim to do whenever he saw me next. It was almost nine and already I felt my body bracing itself for whatever pleasure, or torture, he decided to throw my way. The phonecall from earlier had me curious still, but I highly doubted he would open up to me on what the call was about.

He played things close to the chest and I didn’t understand why. Was he expecting someone to attack him? I snorted out loud. “He would,” I muttered to no one, lightly kicking a pebble as I continued downhill. I could see the building where I lived in my sight and opted to shower before the asshole tried anything. 

Something else caught my eye as I walked; a jogger probably making the last of his rounds before curfew hits. I stepped to the side to give him space to run, feeling bad for him when he passed by me. The student was struggling from his workout, poor guy. 

I smiled a little and continued my way to the dorm, noticing a group of young men lingering near one of the dorms. I paid them no mind, passing them by and pulling out my phone to text Maria that I was home safe. 

“Hey!” 

I looked up and turned to the group, aware that they were all staring at me. One, in particular, had a nasty glare on his face as he approached me. I tensed up and studied him quickly, not spotting a weapon on him but feeling nervous all the same. 

It hit me then, the identity of this person and why he was approaching me. It was Andy, and it was clear he was not happy to see me. _‘Likewise,’_ I thought as my body braced itself. I forced my hands to calm before they balled up as he got close, a little too close. “Can I help you?” ‘Calm down, he hasn’t done anything yet.’ Part of me didn’t want to wait for that “yet”.

“You’re Maria’s friend, aren’t you?” 

Well, that was quick.

I raised an eyebrow and hoped that my confused expression was convincing enough to be left alone. It didn’t work the way I needed it to; Andy looked ready to slap me if the twitch of his hand was any indication. “What’s up?” 

My breath hitched in my throat when he grabbed a fistful of my shirt, pulling me close to where our noses practically touched. “I remember you, fatass, and the mark you left on my hand.” 

There was no hiding it now. I dropped the confusion and smirked. “Well that’s a personal fucking problem, now isn’t it?” 

“It’s a shame you’re out here alone,” he growled, beginning to tug me to his group of friends. I tugged back and prepared to punch him to defend myself, but we paused upon feeling a pair of eyes watching us closely. I turned my head and my eyebrows shot up. It was the runner from earlier!

No, more than that, it was _Mason_. Mason, of all people. He was breathing heavy, hand on his hip as he watched us closely. He then pointed to me and asked, “You’re the girl in Danny’s biology class, right?” What the fuck was Mason pulling?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love cliffhangers, what can I say? :3


	9. A Cup of Tired

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mason to the rescue! After this update, I'll be updating my chapters bi-weekly to give myself some space to write more. Life is frustrating right now so thank you for being patient with me.

“What?” 

I wasn’t quite sure who had spoken up first, but Mason had caught us both off guard. I had to do a double-take, almost unable to close my mouth entirely. Mason looked fucking gorgeous under the copper streetlight, sweat glistening off of his pale skin as the light sharpened his features more than I’d ever seen. His undershirt clung to his body, defining parts of his chest I’d only seen once.

As if to make things worse, or better, his hair was pulled back into a ponytail, swaying as he shifted from one foot to another. His chest lifted and lowered as he caught his breath, pale blue eyes scanning me and the situation before him. I shouldn’t have been checking him out, not with Andy’s fist still curled into my shirt, but seeing Mason like this was...distracting me. 

“Ellie. Right? Uh, Danny, he takes your class too. Dirty blond hair, blue eyes? He said he sits right behind you?” 

“Um, yes, I think?” My voice almost came out a squeak, unsure of where his thought process was going. 

“Do you fucking mind?” Andy hissed, glaring at him as his hand tightened on my collar. 

“Yes, I fucking mind, Andy.” Mason tilted his head, smiling vilely. “The last thing I need is my friend complaining about a late project and going to Chase. None of us need that headache, unless…” He left the implications of Chase getting involved in the air. Andy’s expression changed considerably. 

Still, that wasn’t enough for an immediate release. Andy barely suppressed a snarl, pulling me forward to where our noses touched; the smell of alcohol hit my nose and I wanted to cringe away. “Don’t think I’m done with you.” 

“I was hoping you’d say that,” I replied sweetly, tearing my body away from him. Andy took a step forward but stopped when he eyed Mason warily. Mason was hovering over me almost a foot long as he placed his hand on my shoulder, eyes emotionless and as menacing as ever.

“Thank you for being amicable.” He nudged my back not so gently, pushing me in the direction of our dorm. I didn’t trust myself to speak quite yet. 

“Yeah,” Andy muttered angrily, “be seein’ you.” 

Mason hadn’t quite removed his arm from my shoulder yet, but I found I couldn’t be annoyed with him, not since he probably saved me from a fight I wasn’t going to win. His gaze continued to flicker behind us as if he wasn’t certain Andy would keep his distance. Thankfully, he did. 

We made it to the front doors without any altercation, and only then did I exhale sharply. “Well, that was a thing,” I muttered, glancing at Mason nervously. He looked back at me before removing his arm and pressing the elevator’s button. “Um...did Danny need help?” 

“No.” 

“Oh.” 

Well. Fuck. Did Mason intentionally save my ass or was he just following orders? I didn’t press for an answer, silently joining him in the elevator as I thought about my next words carefully. When the elevator reached the third floor, we both walked out and I grabbed his arm to keep him from advancing. “Mason, wait.”

“I don’t mean to be rude,” he did mean to, “but I’m covered in sweat and would like to wash.” 

“Just hold on a second.” My grip on his arm tightened. “I’m trying to say thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” He tugged his arm away, sighing loudly as he took down his hair. “Go bother someone else, Piggy.” He dug for his keys and focused on his door. Why did I have to be neighbors with this asshole? The fuck was his deal? 

I huffed angrily and dug in my pockets for my keys, not sparing him another glance. Another minute of digging for my keys and I started to panic, setting my bag down and going through it once, twice, finding no trace of my dorm keys. 

_ Shit! _

I took a deep breath and idly considered my options. They had to have been somewhere unless someone had picked them up. If someone had...given that there were thousands of students on campus… Goddamn it!

Raking my fingers through my hair, I stood up and pulled out my phone, only to pause. Andy was probably still out there; it hadn’t even been ten minutes since I saw the bastard, and I doubted he cleared from his original hangout spot. I bit my lip, unsure if I wanted to tell Maria or the twins of Andy, especially since it would just cause a fuss. 

The fuck was I to do then?

I thought about my options for a minute, fingers tapping my thigh nervously. As an afterthought, one that wasn’t thought of for long enough, I glanced over at Mason’s door.  _ ‘No. Bad fucking idea.’ _ My mind had the right idea, I’d give it that, but what other choice did I have? Stay out in the hall? There was no way in hell I was going to seek sanctuary with Chase or Luke, and I had no idea where Danny was.

With all the times he’s invaded my space, I was inclined to do the same to him, just for a night. Just one night. Monday was tomorrow and all I had to do was wait a night, and then go to the office to speak about my locked room. Whether I liked it or not, Mason was my best bet.

It wouldn’t be so bad to spend the night… That was my hope at least. Just sleep on the couch and get up early in the morning. I took a deep breath and picked up my backpack, walking to Mason’s door and knocking on it. The door opened to the same exhausted pair of faded blues, nose crinkling as Mason stared at me. I gulped but refused to back down now. 

“I uh...I need help.”

“With?” He inquired.

“I lost my keys,” I muttered, holding his gaze. “I know you already saved me and crap but-”

“You want the couch?” he interrupted as he opened the door wider, leaning out and forcing me to lean back as he looked left and right. A sweet smell hit my nose past the rancid odor of his dried sweat and I immediately recognized it as lavender; somewhat faint, but still there. 

“If that’s okay.” I was giving him the option to say no while hoping that I could get a decent night’s sleep.

He hummed, taking a step back but not quite stepping out of the way. I frowned a little and had prepared to give up, but after a pregnant moment of silence, he moved out of the way for me to come in. I hesitated, balling up my fist before taking that first step inside. The smell of lavender was stronger but not overwhelming, and a hint of vanilla had almost escaped me. It was coming from a candle he’d lit up and set on what kitchen counter I could see.

His dorm was a mirror of mine; not like Chase’s but a replica switched. It didn’t surprise me; we were all technically living in apartments after all. The carpet was the same as mine; tan, a little worn but clean, and the walls were white with a few marks here or there. Aside from that and the basic layout of the kitchen on the left, everything else was different. 

I took off my shoes when I saw that he had all his shoes on a rack, shuffling to the side and putting them on the rack. 

Mason watched me as he shut and locked the door, but he didn’t linger. “Make yourself at home,” he mumbled, walking to the left where his bedroom door was. I opened my mouth and then closed it, sighing and setting my backpack down as I fully turned my focus to the dorm’s furniture. His tastes were similar to how he carried himself; always dressed in dark colors, mainly black. 

There was a shadow-shaded gray couch to the right of me pressed against the wall with a black couch placed against the right wall. Above the black couch hung a frame of art that I didn’t recognize; a mixture of blacks and blues dripping from a wilting flower.  _ ‘At least he has taste,’  _ I thought, amused as my eyes wandered more. 

I noticed a dinner table and four black foldable chairs pushed against it in the small dining area, with a medium-sized black shelf pushed between the black couch and dining area. The shelf was filled to the brim with all sizes of books and novels. The blinds to his windows were shut tight with black curtains dressing up the wall. A glance at the kitchen told me he was about as typical as could be; there were a couple of dishes and cabinet foods sitting on the counter, as well as the candle releasing the same fragrance I smelled when he first opened the door. 

There were books, papers, and other assorted junk sitting on his coffee table, but that aside, the rest of the dorm was kept relatively clean. After staring at both couches for a moment, I opted on sleeping on the gray couch, leaning down to touch the fabric of the couch. Not too soft but I wouldn’t wake up with incredible back pain either. 

After taking a deep breath, I finally felt comfortable enough to sit down. I sank into the couch, squirming a little before slouching and resting the back of my head up against the wall. Damn, it was April 5th. Spring Break was finally here but...it didn’t feel like it. Sensing that it might be a minute before Mason came back out, I finally had the chance to let everything that happened sink in, at least for the moment. 

It felt like I hit a checkpoint in a fucking game.

My plans didn’t involve getting involved with Chase or anyone for that matter, and if I sucked another dick before next week ended, it would be too fucking soon. At first, I was going to relax on campus and maybe explore sights that I had little time to visit, but now all I wanted was to leave for home and flop into my unused bed. 

I needed to be away from Chase, from Andy, from everyone, at least enough to wrap my head around the fact that these blondes were running around and causing problems. I had a right enough mind to call the cops on both, but I had no evidence on either doing the bullshit they’ve been doing. Furthermore, it would get Danny and Maria in trouble, and I didn’t want that. 

It was clear I was becoming fond of the dirty blonde, for better or for worse. I released a loud sigh and rubbed my forehead. No one told me college would be this fucking exhausting. 

“Tired?” 

I jolted from my seat, staring up at Mason in surprise. He was clean now, drying his midnight hair as he approached his small living room. Mason was dressed in an oversized black t-shirt and grey sweatpants that looked like they could fall off of him at any moment. 

If there was anyone who expressed the exhaustion I felt, it was probably him; the fucker stayed having bags under his eyes. 

“Sure.” 

He hummed in response, eyeing me before glancing over at his kitchen, and then looking back at me again. “Tea?” 

“Please?” 

Another nod and he’d turned to walk through the kitchen doorway. Noises of water sloshing into a pot filled my ears and I raised an eyebrow, wondering if the tea was just a thing that he did. Did Mason have his stash or was he still using mine? A question for later, I mused, turning to go through my bag. I didn’t have anything that I needed to prepare for bed so I’d have to rely solely on sleeping in my clothes. I shrugged at the notion, having slept in my clothes before. 

The sooner I slept, the sooner I could leave Mason’s dorm. My head lifted as he came back into the living room, paying me no mind as he went over to the black couch and flopped down, wincing in the process. The corner of my lips lifted as I watched the poor bastard. He looked exhausted from running so much with how his body practically melted into the couch. He hadn’t discarded the towel, letting it rest over his shoulders as damp patches of his hair stuck to his forehead. 

I opened my mouth and then closed it, shaking my head as I pulled my phone out. I wasn’t online often, only active on a handful of apps before putting it away for a good book. I’ve been teased as being technologically crippled, but I was fine with that. Phones had nothing on a book that helped me imagine what being a warrior princess would be like. 

The Amazonian Queen would have handed Chase and his friends their asses before they could think twice about it. I couldn’t stifle the giggle that came out from thinking about it, leading Mason to open an eye and glance at me. 

“What?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Hmm. Okay.” 

He didn’t question me again, going back to closing his eyes. Admittedly…I thought he would have suggested or tried something, or if Chase had texted him. It then occurred to me that Chase didn’t know I was here. I couldn’t help but smirk at that, happy to be away from that asshole for the rest of the night if I could help it. 

Despite it happening hours ago, I could still feel his lips upon mine and his fingers sliding down my body. If that phone call hadn’t come in…

Shaking my head free of those thoughts, I turned my attention back to Mason who had pulled his phone out, going through it with a dazed expression on his pale face. He then glanced at me, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Ellie…” 

“Huh?” I was too used to him calling me, well, yeah, so hearing my actual name fall out of his lips was a little surprising. I didn’t think he had it in him. 

“You sure you’re alright? After...that.” Mason shrugged a little, gesturing in the general area of the sidewalk where he confronted Andy and me. 

I shrugged back in return even as my face scrunched into disdain over the whole situation. “He’s going to be fucking trouble, so no I’m not alright. I need,” I took a deep breath, “I need my friend to talk to me about him before he tries anything else, maybe I can call the cops on him or some shit.” 

“You wouldn’t get far,” he warned me, setting his phone down and relaxing one leg over the other. “Not with him.” 

After adjusting myself in my seat I turned my full attention to him. “You know the guy?” 

“I know enough to know his type,” He replied with a loose flicker of his hands. 

‘Yeah, I bet you do, don’t you?’ I smiled briefly, hoping the rage in my eyes conveyed how I was feeling to him. Mason seemed to catch it and gave a half-smile. Before we could exchange any more words, the teapot started whistling loudly. Mason grunted and stood up, gesturing for me to follow. 

I waited for him to get halfway to the kitchen before getting up as well, not quite trusting his motions as I followed him into the semi-clean room. He turned off the burner and moved to grab cups, and I found my place leaning up against the counter near the sink. Mason spared me the briefest of glances while tending to the steaming water and I had to wonder what was going on in that head of his. 

Was he not going to approach me at all? No nicknames, no- no weird looks or vile smirks? The fuck was going on with Mason? It wasn’t like I wanted him to do anything, far from it, but he seemed to be subdued. I was caught between mentioning it and leaving it be; I had no energy to deal with whatever Mason had in mind, and if I had my way, I’d be avoiding Chase in the process as well. 

Mason pulled me from my thoughts, gesturing me to get closer. “Choose a teabag.” 

“It isn’t poisoned is it?” I teased, approaching him with a sly grin as I glanced into his cabinet. 

“Depends,” he drawled, struggling not to smile at me and failing spectacularly. 

With a snort, I reached in and chose my box of jasmine tea. “I’ll stick to what I know.” 

“Not feeling adventurous?” He asked, tilting his head and plucking the box from my hands. “Your loss.” Mason moved away from me, flashing a toothy grin as he opened up the box and plopped tea bags into tan and white coffee mugs. I couldn’t fight the smile forming on my lips, and I fucking tried, but in his way, I guessed Mason was charming...when he wanted to be. 

“Now we wait,” he muttered, backing away from the cups and glancing at me again. “Listen, I’m...glad that I caught you walking earlier.” He scratched the back of his head, gaze holding the cups instead of mine. “Damn, this is...awkward, isn’t it?” 

My chest rumbled as I struggled not to giggle, dipping my head with the hopes of catching his tired blue eyes. “Only if you make it awkward.” My lips then dipped. “If you hadn’t shown up, he probably would have tried something. It’s almost nine so I highly doubted anyone else was going to come to my rescue.” 

“Here I thought we were supposed to be enemies, and yet here I am saving my slave,” he drawled, lifting his head to finally meet my gaze. 

Oh, come on! 

“I take it back, you were just checking in on your property,” I deadpanned, rolling my eyes and focusing on something else. 

“That’s my job as your master, isn’t it?” 

I looked back up and tensed, pressing my backside into the edge of the counter as Mason closed the distance between us, reaching up and flicking brown strands of hair out of the way before he lowered his hand to cup my cheek. I yanked my face away and huffed angrily, realizing that he was just fucking with me. Did he want this all along?

Mason smirked and put both his hands on either side of me, settling them on the counter and effectively trapping me as he towered over me. “Don’t I deserve thanks for saving you?” 

“I thanked you, you’re the one who didn’t accept it,” I reminded him, smirking as he playfully winced. 

“You got me there,” he replied, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on mine. I twitched but didn’t move otherwise, my breath steadying out even as the bastard was nearby. It took me a minute to realize he was tense, jaw clenching as he opened his eyes again. “If I hadn’t turned around… This is the second time that fucker’s put his hands on you.” 

“I seem to attract all the touchy guys,” I joked, meeping when he suddenly knocked his forehead against mine. “Hey!”

“I’m starting to think Chase was right about your lack of self-preservation,” he grumbled, taking a step back to tend to the cups. 

“Excuse me?” I glared at his back, balling up my hands. “I have enough, I just prefer to put a friend’s needs over mine. It’s not a rare trait, isn’t it?” 

“No, but Lord you are stupid about it,” Mason stated offhandedly, turning and handing me a mug. I was almost inclined not to accept it, but if I didn’t get relaxing warmth in my system, I was going to aim to punch someone else before the night was over. I took it and sipped quietly, sparing him a glare before avoiding his look entirely. 

It was silent for a few minutes; we tended to our tea and didn’t bother making anymore conversation. I had no idea what was going on with him but with my amateur psychology knowledge, I could tell he was struggling with actually showing signs he fucking cared about my wellbeing enough. Was it too much to just drop the “bad boy” act and talk to me? 

Danny was the only one not putting up a facade with me and it was frustrating me. They could fuck with my body all they wanted to, but I was not about to be manipulated. I put my cup down loud enough to catch his attention and glowered. “Is it too much to just be honest with me?” 

“What?” 

“Don’t fucking  _ ‘what’ _ me, you know exactly what I’m talking about.” My hands flew up, fluttering as I spoke. “Since you don’t care, then I guess you don’t mind me going back out and beating the shit out of Andy.” 

“You’d be outnumbered,” he pointed out. 

“I don’t care,” I spat, turning away to do just that. Everyone was pissing me off and I felt like punching something, someone, whatever! I just needed out of his dorm, asking to sleep in was a mistake. He grabbed my arm, holding me back and staring at me in bewilderment. 

“Jesus, Ellie, calm the fuck down. I knew you were a hothead but,  _ fuck _ .” 

I tore my arm from him and smirked despite my anger. “I’ve been saving it up for some time. It’s not like any of you give me an out for all this energy I’m  _ not _ supposed to show.” Part of me expected him to snort or make some kind of remark but he gave me the look of a wounded child. “Oh come on, you can’t fucking play the hurt card!”

“I’m- Jesus Christ, it’s hard to talk to you.” Mason folded his arms, looking something akin to a pouting child. It would’ve been cute if I wasn’t angry with him. 

“You make it hard, all of you do. Wait, I take that back, Danny at least knows how to talk to me.” 

“Danny?” He visibly brightened...? 

“Yes, Danny.” My eyes narrowed. “I wish I’d sought him out instead of staying here.” 

Mason shrugged, nonchalant about my insult as he muttered, “He is good with people.” There was a ghost of a smile on his face. If I was dealing with Chase, he would’ve been reprimanding me at this point, but Mason seemed completely unbothered at what I was saying. I had to admit, he was good. 

“Do you even care that I could just up and leave at any moment?” I pressed.

“No,” he replied with a gentle lift of his shoulders. “You asked and I said yes, but you aren’t my prisoner, I don’t care if you leave or stay.” He then frowned a little and added, “I would rather you stayed inside, however. I do not trust Andy to keep to himself, and whatever you think we’re capable of, he’s worse.” 

This is the second time he’s explained Andy in that way. “How do you know about him?” 

“I’ve heard stories from Chase.” 

“And how does he know him?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“You don’t know?” I tilted my head, confused and a little suspicious. “What has he never talked about knowing Andy at any point?”

“We never asked. We don’t know everything about each other, just enough.” Mason smiled secretively, messing with the long black strands of his hair. My eyes wandered, watching him twirl them between his fingers idly as he leaned against the counter. His eyelids slanted as he got lost in thought, before lifting his gaze to me. “I don’t want you throwing yourself into obvious danger, dumbass. If we keep saving you, you’ll just be more involved with us, and we both know you don’t want that.”

I smirked bitterly. “I don’t.” My expression softened somewhat. “I’m...surprised, I guess. I thought you’d make it mandatory that I stayed put.” 

“Just because we lust for you doesn’t mean we want to take away all your rights.” Mason then grimaced. “Chase, maybe, but I’m not the kind, nor do I want to do anything to you right now.” 

Shocker. I raised my eyebrows, feeling a little unconvinced. “Really?” 

“Really,” he replied, letting his hair go and tugging the towel off of his shoulders. “I’m tired, Piggy; I don’t know how Chase and Luke have so much energy.” He downed the rest of his tea, slipping the cup into the sink and approaching me carefully. I didn’t move, watching his hand as it lifted and patted my head gently. “Sometimes sucking on your tits is enough. Sometimes tea is enough.”

My eyes widened a little, watching as he retreated from me and muttered something about grabbing me a blanket. That was...unexpected. So Mason wasn’t really about the sex scene huh? _ ‘Learning new things every day.’ _

I couldn’t say I was disappointed, no. I preferred if he kept his fucking hands to himself. Mason always seemed like the type who was the grabbiest of all of them and I was given zero evidence to the contrary. Then again, it made sense; the other times he visited me were just to raid my cabinets for tea and get a hug out of me. 

My hands found the cup of tea as I finished it, taking it and his cup and washing both of them. Might as well be hospitable. By the time I finished, he was already in the living room with a large black comforter and white pillow in his arms. “Thanks.” 

“No problem,” I muttered, taking the blanket and pillow. “Thanks.” 

“No problem,” He echoed me.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly, smiling crookedly as I set the blanket on the couch. “Copycat.” 

“Says you,” he grunted, raising an eyebrow. “I’m going to bed. Tap my shoulder if you need me.” 

“I will,” I promised, sitting back down as I slipped my socks off. He shot me another faint smile before turning to turn off the living room and kitchen lights, disappearing into his room moments later and leaving me alone. I exhaled, feeling a lot more relaxed than I did upon entering his dorm. 

Once again, I was caught off guard with one of the boys acting the opposite of what they’ve shown me prior. Mason could’ve pinned me, done whatever, but he outright stated that he was too tired for that. I could respect that. After Andy approaching me and Chase pulling the shit he did, I wasn’t inclined to be touched anymore. 

Though...Mason’s touches weren’t...that bad. I pursed my lips, shaking away the approaching blush. I needed to think of something fast. Something, something like going to bed. It immediately dawned on me that I hadn’t told Chase about anything that happened, and when I glanced at the time, it struck me as odd when it turned out to be almost ten. No text or call from Chase? What was it, opposites night?

I texted Chase that Andy decided to approach me again and that if he was serious about getting that asshole out of my hair, that he needed to do something about it when Spring Break ended. I didn’t get a return text and shook my head, deciding to spend a little time reading since I wasn’t quite tired yet. 

Once the light flickered on and my eyes rested upon the pages of the romantic novel, my mind and soul were gone, devoted to a breathtaking romance that could only be found in fiction. Minutes passed and it was almost midnight for me before I finally called it quits, plugging my phone up and turning the light off, placing the book on the messy coffee table, and sliding under the soft blanket Mason gave me. 

It was thick with his scent, almost overwhelming but not unpleasant. I hate to say that it helped lull me to sleep, but soon enough I was watching my eyelids, drifting away from my problems and this dorm. 

Perhaps I would’ve fully gone to sleep had someone not cried out in the dark.


	10. Nightdreams and Daymares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What wakes you up at night? What makes you go to sleep? What's haunting you, boy?

My body jolted from my brief slumber, eyes opening wide as I sat up in a panic. My head turned left and right, automatically looking for Maria crying out for help when the noises were coming from Mason’s room. ‘ _ What the fuck?’ _

I stood up, wobbling for a moment before grabbing the armrest to keep my fatass from toppling over something, and then paused to try and see if I was just hallucinating the cries or not. 

It happened again and I knew at once that I wasn’t sleepwalking or dreaming anything; actual cries were coming from his room. I sighed and padded over to his door, gently pushing it open as I peered into his room. It was pitch black and the faint light that came in the living room windows from the streetlight outside barely helped with that.

When he whimpered I took another step inside, careful of my steps and wishing that I’d brought my phone with me as my hands reached out for some bedframe. There was none, but I could hear him shivering and moaning in pain to the right of me. I crept closer, lowering my hands as they started to feel for a bed. 

Then, fingers grasped thin sheets and my shins hit the edge of the bed with a soft  _ “thunk” _ . It sounded as if Mason was wrestling, hands gripping and pulling the sheets with how my fingers were being tugged toward him. 

_ ‘Should I wake him?’ _ He was having a nightmare, a fucking horrible lucid one at that. I needed to wake him, but carefully, having read that it could scare or injure people if someone wasn’t careful. I continued to drag my fingers upward, shifting my body to travel alongside the edge of the bed until I was hovering over Mason. 

With a gentle touch, I placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him. “Mason?” My voice was barely a whisper, raising only a little when he didn’t respond. “Mason?” He flung up with a gasp and I stumbled back, almost falling over as I shrieked. “Holy fuck!” 

Mason’s breathing was heavy, ragged, as he turned on the lamp on his bedside to glare at me. No, not glare; when my eyes adjusted, he was watching me in shock as if he wasn’t expecting to see me. I raised my hands, blinking repeatedly to adjust to the rapid change in brightness. “Sorry, I didn’t mean- you were just having-  _ Jesus fuck, the light. _ ”

“Sorry,” he gasped, turning the switch to the lowest setting before letting his arm limply fall onto his lap. 

I didn’t move, watching him breathe unevenly and hold his head. Mason was disheveled, shaking, taking deep breaths to try and calm down. Shit, this was my thing wasn’t it? I cleared my throat to try and catch his attention, putting on a slight smile when he looked up at me. “Can I come closer?” 

He nodded and I stepped forward, moving slowly and placing my hand at the edge of the bed before sitting to the side, keeping my eyes on his gestures, his movements that I was invading personal space. Once seated, I studied him, taking in his wracked posture. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

He laughed, humorless, shaking his head as he playfully glared at me. “No. W-what are you, a therapist?” 

“Not yet,” I teased softly, shifting my body to face him more. “We don’t have to talk. What would help you?” 

“I, uh, I don’t know.” He took a deep breath, struggling to get a hold of his shaking and failing to do so. “Fuck.  _ Fuck _ , um, I-I need, I need Danny.” 

_ What? _

“Danny? Okay, I have his number and I’m calling him now.” Exasperated with Mason or not, he needed help, and I wasn’t going to abandon him when he needed it. “Wait right here.” I got up but Mason grabbed onto my arm, shaking as his breath started quickening. 

“ _ Don’t. _ ” 

“Okay.” I sat back down and asked, “Do you have his number in your phone?” 

He bobbed his head, struggling to keep calm when he was having a panic attack. He shakily grabbed his phone and unlocked it after trying twice, handing it to me. “Please.” 

“I’m calling him right now,” I assured him, holding out my free hand in case he wanted to take it. He did, grasping it shakily as I went through his contacts and called Danny. It rang twice before he answered, sounding a bit groggy. 

_ “Mason?”  _

“Ellie,” I corrected him, glancing in Mason’s direction as I held his hand tightly. “Mason’s having a panic attack and I need you to come over.” I could tell Danny was still comprehending that it was me who called him through Mason’s phone, but he was still quick to respond. 

_ “I’ll be right over.”  _

He hung up, leaving me with a frazzled Mason. I put his phone down and placed a hand over his, tapping it gently. “Danny will be here soon,” I told him, smiling a bit when I got a faint nod from him. In hearing this, his body seemed to relax a little, but he was far from calming down. 

As if today didn’t throw enough surprises in my face, Mason having a panic attack and calling for Danny threw me for a complete fucking loop. I tried not to frown, continuing to force a soft smile as I let Mason hold my hands. I couldn’t do more for him, but that was fine; just being here was helping him. 

It occurred to me, then, how Danny had first reacted when I told him about Mason’s nightly visits. 

_ “Damn...he’s having nightmares again.” _

_ “He’ll...you’re right, he’ll be fine. I came to take care of you tonight, remember?” _

Was Danny there for Mason when he had nightmares like this before? They weren’t a recent development either, but an issue of the past. I couldn’t see him going to Chase or Luke about shit like this; they were too hardened and closed up to be of any help. 

Danny, however, was the perfect candidate to help calm anyone down. He was so caring and considerate when it came down to another’s needs; he was tentative and nurturing, and someone I would want by my side if I was losing it. 

I could only hope that I was helping Mason to some degree while we waited for Danny. He was still breathing heavily, holding my hands tightly and shaking. I heard the front door open and turned my head, my shoulders immediately loosening upon seeing Danny. 

His hair was a mess, loosely tied into a bun while strands almost hid his left eye. Danny was wearing blue sweatpants and a rolled-up long-sleeved black shirt and was bare-footed. His eyes suggested he’d just woken up, but the moment they landed on Mason, they became focused. 

“Thank you,” he muttered, placing a hand on my shoulder. 

I took that as a sign to remove myself, getting up and motioning for Mason to let my hands go. Danny took my place almost instantly, placing his hand on the back of Mason’s head as they touched foreheads briefly. “I need you to breathe,” he pleaded. “Deep breaths, buddy.” 

Blue eyes searched each other as Mason did what he was told, slowly calming down as he breathed audibly. “I’m sorry,” he almost whimpered. I flinched, wondering if I should’ve excused myself into the living room. 

“It’s not your fault.” Danny’s smile was tender as he rubbed his friend’s back, his other hand caught and gripped hard by Mason. 

“Should...should I…” I shuffled from side to side awkwardly, wondering when they were going to kick me out. 

“Sorry, Piggy,” he muttered, lifting his head but not bothering to try for a smile. The nickname had lost its fire, as had his eyes; they looked paler than normal, almost as if he wasn’t even with us. “So much for helping you, huh?” Mason grit his teeth and looked away from me before I could answer.

What the fuck had him so shaken that he was like this? What was haunting him, what made him jerk at every shadow, none of this made any sense! Yet I was in no place to demand answers, to ask why Mason was this bothered by dreams. I shouldn’t even care, but I was going to college to be a therapist for a reason. 

No matter what kind of sleazeball Mason was, I found myself affected by his distraught state. Danny continued to calm him down from his high, rubbing the back of his head, shoulders, patting his knee once or twice. 

After what felt like forever, just when my legs started to get wobbly, Mason exhaled and retreated from Danny, raking his hands through his black hair. “I’m sorry.” 

“I don’t mind,” Danny replied kindly, “it’s okay. Do you want me to stay over?”

Mason lifted his gaze just a little to glance at me and I quickly raised my hands. “Hey, this is not my house and I’m just crashing for the night.” I smiled sheepishly when Danny gave me an odd look. “Long story,” I added, “tell you about it tomorrow.” 

“I…” Mason sighed and hugged his knees to his chest, reminding me of how lean he was despite the muscle. It looked like he wanted to disappear. “I don’t know,” he spoke, muffled. 

“How about I just chill here for a bit then? Would that be okay?” Danny’s smile was warm as he watched Mason, waiting patiently for an answer. After a minute’s worth of silence, Mason finally nodded, sighing heavily. Danny glanced at me before getting up, slipping into bed next to him and laying down, exhaling as he stared up at the ceiling. 

Mason’s posture relaxed further but he didn’t come out of his cradled position. I hesitated before frowning and sitting down at the edge of the bed. Mason jerked and glanced up at me, scowling. “What are you doing?” 

“Chilling,” I replied cheekily, smiling lopsidedly. “It looks like you need the company anyway.” 

He didn’t deny this, instead, he curled his head back in. His breath was slow and even, however. I didn’t say anything to Danny nor he to me; we all sat there in silence for a good minute. I was tired, yes, but I was concerned for Mason more. At some point, Mason tilted to the side and I blinked, surprised to find him laying his head near Danny’s lap. 

The dirty blonde thought nothing of it, reaching down and idly rubbing the top of his head like a mother would. Mason exhaled, blinking slowly before closing his eyes. I smiled at the sight, finding it a bit cute that Danny would comfort him in this way. I then looked up at him and blushed, finding that he was watching me as I was watching Mason. 

With a gentle grin, he wiggled his finger for me to get closer. Maybe it was because I was stressed and exhausted with the day, or maybe it was the idea of being closer to Danny again, but I complied with my “Master”, crawling over as he scooted toward the middle.

I got in the free space he made for me, bringing one of Mason’s pillows down enough to where I was laying where he could reach me. His fingers found their way to my scalp, digits slowly moving in the deep brown curls on my head as he kept an eye out on Mason. It was oddly relaxing, reminding me of when my mother did the same to me and my brother in late nights. 

My body relaxed and I yawned, ready to call it a day for real this time. I didn’t think I’d be sharing the same bed with these two, Mason especially, but with him calmed down and Danny watching over us both, I felt confident enough to try and sleep. Mason didn’t lift his head again, content on staying right where he was.

Danny’s fingers were so nice...my eyes fluttered closed despite trying to stay up longer for Danny’s sake, but my exhaustion won out in the end. I fell asleep faster than I’d ever been willing to admit. 

**-**

Morning came with a knock. 

I didn’t recognize it at first, too deep in my dreams and against a warm body to fully notice. Arms wrapped around me and I could feel my body melting and falling back asleep almost instantly, exhaling softly as I knew right away where I was. Hilariously enough, I didn’t care. 

“Well, well, look at this.” 

My eyes opened and I instantly jolted up, my body acting before my mind as I glanced around wildly before staring at two figures standing at the doorway. I was welcomed with a rather underwhelming sight; Luke and Chase had popped in, solidifying my theory about all of them carrying keys for each other. 

Mason groaned and turned over, wrapping an arm and pulling me down to him in the process. “Go away,” he grumbled, holding me close despite my startled squeaks and physical protest. How did I end up between them?!

Danny sat up and though I couldn’t see his face at this point, I could tell he was amused based on his voice. “Sorry, long night.” His voice, though light, was husky, and I was kind of grateful that Mason had pulled me down when he did; I could feel my cheeks heating up against his shoulder. 

“I can see that.” Chase’s smirk was practically audible. “Puppy?” 

“What?” I mumbled, peeking over Mason’s shoulder to glare at him. 

He wiggled his finger and I suppressed a sigh, wiggling my way out of Mason’s arms- damn did he have a grip on him -and crawling to the edge of the bed. The way he and Luke were looking at me gave me chills down my back and I wasn’t near enough awake to pretend otherwise. When I sat at the edge, Chase approached me, reaching over and cupping my chin. He then tilted my head left and right, his smirk slowly shifting into a scowl. 

“He didn’t hit you?” 

“Huh?” I stifled a yawn, blinking slowly as I willed my mind and body to wake up more. I couldn’t understand where Chase’s thought process was worth shit!

“Andy.” 

I shook my head, wiping my eyes only after he let my chin go. “No, Mason got in the middle.” 

“Good,” Luke replied, crossing his arms tightly. “I say we’re fucking wasting time with this, let’s go and find this prick!” 

“He could be out of state at this point,” Chase pointed out, not quite tearing his gaze away from me. 

I scowled a little and got up, ruffling my hair in the process. “That’s great,” I muttered, “another asshole to deal with. What are you two doing here?” 

“I think it’s only proper to check on our Puppy after she almost gets attacked,” Chase casually stated, raising an eyebrow. “I wasn’t expecting to find you all curled up in Mason’s bed. Finally getting comfy?” 

I groaned and ignored the question, forcefully wiggling by them to approach my abandoned makeshift bed in the living room, grabbing the blanket and folding it. Mason’s smell was still strong on it and it brought a sense of comfort. I was beginning to believe that I was either losing it or maybe it was just natural to start becoming attached to people who technically “owned” me. 

“Seriously, what were you doing here?” 

My eyes flickered to the left to meet Luke’s as my body turned, idly folding the blanket up as I spoke. He was dressed nicely; he wore all black, shirt, pants, and boots, with a hoop in his nose and a couple of piercings on both his ears.

“Chase didn’t tell you? I misplaced my keys and didn’t want to bother anyone else. I thought it was a good idea...at the time.” I frowned a little at his smirk. “No, it didn’t even go in that direction.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he teased, taking the blanket from my hands. “Honestly I’m a little envious. You should lose your keys more often.” When I scowled, he laughed. “I’m teasing. What will you do now, camper?” 

“Har, har. I don’t know.” Yesterday was so overwhelming that I didn’t exactly have a plan in mind. I could faintly hear Chase speaking to the other two in the room and huffed. “Whatever that asshole has planned for me, I guess.” 

“Won’t be much then.” At this, his smirk disappeared, something akin to anger replacing his rugged features. I waited in silence to see if he would say more, but Luke turned around and left, taking the blanket back into the room just as Chase drifted out. I was too tired to keep up with them walking back and forth and being fucking vague, so I gave up trying to talk to him or Chase and sat down to put my shoes on. 

“You waste no time in leaving,” Chase commented quietly as he watched me with a relaxed smile. 

“Yeah well...shit to do,” I grunted as I slipped my socks on, struggling to keep my leg on my fucking lap no thanks to my weight. Something hit my thighs and I yelped, putting my leg down as I glared up at him. “What the fuck, Chase?” 

“Lap,” he replied, pointing to me. 

I looked down and saw a bundle of keys resting in my lap. My keys. I grabbed them, idly considering the idea of burying them deep into him as I stood up. He could tell I was aiming for the defensive, flashing me an innocent smile. “You dropped them, but I didn’t know they were yours.” 

“Why don’t I believe you?” 

“Because you have trust issues?” 

“You’re incredible.” I shoved the keys in my pocket and sat back down, shoving my shoes on, and eyeing him warily. “Why are you even here?” 

“You get your break after all.” Chase shrugged, shoving his hands in the pockets of his dark blue jeans. Like Luke, he was dressed with the bare minimum; a nice change from the normal. His t-shirt was white and his shoes were all black. His hair wasn’t as neatly combed as normal either; it was in slight disarray that went with the tired look he had on his face. 

I raised an eyebrow as I inspected him, rubbing the keys between my fingers. “Does it have to do with the phone call yesterday?” 

Chase nodded but didn’t elaborate, not quite meeting my eyes as his jaw clenched and unclenched. It was amusing to see him distressed but I also pitied him, just a little. Whatever the call was about carried on past yesterday, which meant that it was important and also something he didn’t want to deal with. 

The blonde then exhaled and smirked again, though it had lost some of its light as he wiggled his finger again for me to come to him. Wary but knowing I couldn’t refuse him, I got back up and walked to him, shivering as he cupped my cheek. 

“Jittery, are we?” 

“Don’t ask dumb questions.”

“You’re cute when you’re unsure.” 

Using his first and middle fingers, he dipped them under my chin, tilting my head as he leaned in to kiss me. I closed my eyes despite originally being steadfast, breathing unevenly as he finally made contact. His gestures were surprisingly gentle, lips putting very little pressure onto mine before he pulled away. I gulped and tried my best not to let that faze me, but my heart was pounding from it.

“I need you to be careful around Andy, Ellie.” His tone was gentle, quiet as it tickled my lips, but I could hear the underlying tension barely surfacing. Bringing up Andy again was unexpected and it quickly pulled me out of the daze he put me in.

“Worried he’ll try to make me his  _ ‘Puppy’  _ too?” I opened my eyes and smirked at him as I leaned my head back, a little too happy with the look of distaste on his face. 

“ _ Ellie. _ ” He gripped my arm, not harshly, but firm enough to catch my attention. “Stay away from him. I said I would take care of him and I meant that, but it’s not...easy, dealing with him. Stay the fuck out of his way.  _ Please. _ ” 

Any amusement I felt prior was gone, replaced with this mild sense of dread and anger. Chase, of all people, was warning me about someone else?

“I wasn’t going to approach him,” I tried to assure him. “He made his way to me when I was walking back home last night.” 

Chase barely tilted his head, eyebrows seamed together as he studied me. It didn’t seem like he was watching me, more like...more like his brain was running a thousand miles a minute. Maybe he wasn’t as much as an airhead like I thought. “...Okay.” He exhaled sharply, hand moving back to cup my cheek, caressing my skin lightly as he watched me with a distant expression. 

I pouted, feeling my cheeks heat up from him being so close. “Is that it?” Chase suddenly caring about my wellbeing was doing weird things to my stomach.

“Try not to have too much fun without me.” Ah, he was back. He smirked and flicked my nose. “We move to the second phase when you get back. I can’t wait to kiss you in public.”

I snorted, wishing I could tear off the blush appearing on my face. “Oh. Yay.” Great, how in the fuck was I going to explain this to my friends?

Chase responded with a slight laugh, backing away from me and pulling his keys out, any trace of him being tense before all but gone. “Alright, I’ve wasted enough time.”

“Say hi to the gremlin for me!” Luke called out, dipping his head out and smirking in his friend’s direction. 

“You know what he’ll say in return!” Chase snorted and shut the door behind him, leaving me with the rest of the boys. It hadn’t quite hit me that I had an entire week to myself if I wanted. I expected him to tighten the leash, not loosen it, but goddamn I can’t complain! I would’ve cheered if Danny’s laugh hadn’t reached my ears. 

Speaking of the cutie, he came out of the bedroom, watching me with a soft smile on his face. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” His smile was infectious and I couldn’t help but mimic it. “Thanks for helping last night. I’ve...never seen him like that. For the time I’ve known you guys anyway.” 

“It’s not a problem.” He took down his hair, bangs flying free and making him look cuter than he had any right to be. “You were, uh, warm last night. I fell asleep from messing with your hair.” He laughed as if it sounded silly, but he had no idea what he was doing to me by saying that.

Fucking goddamn it, my cheeks! “That’s good,” I muttered, struggling to hold his gaze.

Danny smiled and took a step forward but stopped when someone cleared their throat. We turned and I scowled at Luke and Mason, both of whom were giving us sly looks. “Are we interrupting?” Luke’s voice was teasing and Danny acted far better than I was about to. 

“Nah, it’s all good.” Danny flashed an easy smile. “I take it you’re leaving out too, then?” 

“Yeah, the old woman wants to see me.” Luke sighed in exasperation, slouching. “I’m not ready to deal with that.” 

“She’ll appreciate your presence,” Danny assured her. “Mason, you with me?” 

“Your father would have my head,” Mason drawled, glancing in my direction. “What about you?” 

“Are you shitting me? I’m going home, Chase just gave me the go to get the fuck outta here!” I turned around and grabbed my backpack. “I’m so out of here.” 

“Aw, no hug?” Mason pouted playfully but waved regardless. Luke shrugged and smirked in my direction.

“Be safe, Ellie.” 

I snorted but smiled regardless, turning to wave. “I make no promises,” I teased, not hesitating to get the fuck out of there. There was no need for me to linger around, not when I had the right away to leave this accursed campus and leave for home. I still needed to find out about my grandparents and I was sure my brother was free to be harassed. 

Speaking of, I bet I could call him for a last-minute pickup. I couldn’t get rid of the smile on my face, finding that I was very happy to be doing something else for once. A few days of Chase-free vibes? Sign me the fuck up!

**-**

Hearing my brother’s voice after a while of just occasional texting was weird. A little more than weird, maybe; it was downright alien. Michael was the kind of guy who stayed busy, whether it was tending to college classes, fixing computers, or gaming for hours to pass the time; he was a busy bitch who had problems with answering his phone. 

Thankfully, with Spring Break in full swing, I managed to contact him with one phone call this time around, going out of my way to tease him about it the moment he answered. 

“What? Hello, who is this? It couldn’t be the ass-bucket that owns this phone.” 

_ “Haha, funny. Sup!”  _

“Please tell me mom and dad are at home. I want out of here.” I leaned back onto my couch, exhaling loudly. “I’m dying!” 

_ “Dramatic bitch,” _ he teased.  _ “They expect me to be over there at some point and I don’t think they’ll hate me dragging you with. You sure you want that? After the shit that happened last time, I figured…” _ His voice trailed over the phone, not wanting to bring it up so willingly. 

The sigh that escaped my lips was softer, more real than the last. “It’s okay, Mic. I’m over it. I came here to do something different, remember?” At least here I could do something good, boy troubles aside.

_ “If you’re sure. I’ll be here in an hour, sound good?”  _

“Get here sooner,” I playfully chastised. “Slow bitch.” 

_ “Bite me. Love ya.”  _

“Love you too,” I replied through giggles, hanging up and tossing the phone onto the other couch, watching as it unceremoniously bounced onto the floor. Just my luck. 

I got up to get my things together, trying not to think about the thing I was so graciously forgetting about ever since I started my first semester. I was already beginning to miss the distraction my friends and the boys created, dreading the idea of coming home to yet another mess. 

“It’s fine,” I said to no one, gnawing on my cheek as I looked for my suitcase. The thought of facing my mother was making me nervous, but I knew she meant well. She didn’t want to stifle me, even if she was rearing her head in places it didn’t belong. 

After a week and a half of dealing with Chase’s bullshit, however, I would invite my mother’s shenanigans with open arms. I needed this break and I needed to be away from everyone to put my head back on right. 

A doorknock pulled me from my thoughts and I put down a t-shirt to approach it. “Hello?” 

“It’s, uh, Mason.” 

Mason, huh? I wasn’t out of the water yet, I decided, opening the door. “Yeah?” 

He was dressed in a black and purple striped hoodie with baggy black pants and black boots to fit the emo look he was trying for. He refused to meet my gaze, eyes flickering from left to right before settling at my feet. 

“Hey...Can- can I-”

“Sure.” 

I stepped to the side, waiting for him to come in before I closed the door. Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised me that Mason would find himself in front of my door, especially after last night. I waited a moment before turning around, making sure to steady my nerves as I met the uncertainty of his gaze. What was going on in his head?

Mason was having a difficult time speaking up, lips parting before pressing into a thin line. I kind of felt bad for him. For as outwardly perverted as he tried to act, Mason had a very shy streak to him more often than not. He finally spoke up, voice low.

“Sorry about last night.” 

I managed a half-smile. “It’s fine. Does that happen a lot?” 

“Didn’t use to,” he replied, hands burying themselves in the pockets of his pants. His gaze then narrowed as he stared at me. “I’m surprised with you.” 

“Oh?” Interesting. A smile formed on my face as I met his stare. “What I do to surprise you?” 

“You didn’t leave me alone.” 

Perhaps it was because it was Mason I was speaking to or maybe it was because I was getting used to the surprises these boys kept throwing at me, but the smile on my face widened in hearing that. “Like I’d ever do that.” 

He snorted and tilted his head, the expression on his face clear in his wariness. “You have plenty of reason to, Piggy. I didn’t need you to stay.” 

“Yes, you did.” 

Mason clicked his tongue and looked away, a gush of red coloring his pale cheeks. I rolled my eyes and approached him, patting his arm gently. “Lie to me if you want, but you needed help and I wanted to help you.” It would go against everything I was aiming for with going to college. Regardless of the weird relationship we had at the moment, Mason needed help calming down and I could provide it, so I did. Whether or not Mason accepted that was up to him. 

“You’re…” Tired blue eyes looked up and down at me, but not like he usually did. Something was different about his gaze. “You’re not what...I expected.” 

I smirked and backed away from him. “Is that a compliment I hear?” 

“No. Yes.” He snorted and rolled his eyes. “I’m not sure why I came here anymore.” 

“It might have been something along the lines of  _ ‘thank you’, _ ” I pointed out jokingly, grinning at the playful glare he shot in my direction. His expression then softened, something close to a smile forming on his face. 

“Thank you.” 

This put a halt to both my thoughts and words. I stared at him longer than I meant to and he gave me an exasperated look. “I can be reasonable...when I want to be.” Another smile from him. “Enjoy your Spring Break, Piggy.” Mason moved and then paused, glancing at me again. “The video’s deleted by the way. I don’t think you could get away from us if you wanted to.” He smirked, not waiting for me to get my thoughts together as he opened my door and left my dorm. 

For a moment I didn’t know what to do with myself. I stood there feeling stupid as my cheeks warmed. Did Mason delete the video?  _ That _ video? When? Son of a bitch, these idiots were playing with my feelings, weren’t they?! “Why me?” I muttered, flopping onto one of the couches as I rubbed my forehead. Thank fucking god Michael was coming to get me.

I couldn’t take much more of this damned campus. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bless y'all for being patient with me, I hope you enjoyed the chapter :3


End file.
